Saving the future Philosopher's stone
by MagicalSmile
Summary: Hermione decides to go back in time to tell Harry's story to his parents and few others. James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Alice, Frank, Minerva and Albus are gathered together and they hear the story of the boy who lived.
1. To the Past

**A/N: I know there's loads of these, but I decided to do my own version. I hope you like it. **

**Chapter 1 **

**1998**

"Harry," Hermione shouted when arriving to his flat, "Are you here?"

"Oh, hey 'Mione, what's up?" Harry said walking from the living room."

"Hi," Hermione said whilst hugging him, "I got a brilliant idea!"

"You have them all the time 'Mione... But what is it this time?" Harry asked.

"You remember my time turner, right?" she asked, and when he nodded, she continued, "I was thinking that we'd collect your memories from your school years into these books I brought and then I'd go back to the past and we'd read the books with your parents. We'd be able to change everything!"

"Oh my Godric, you're a genius 'Mione! But do you know the spell to make the books?" Harry asked smiling.

"Yeah, of course, I'm the brightest witch of our age!"

"The only problem is that you can't come back. I don't want to lose you," Harry said sadly.

"You won't. I'll be your auntie Hermione. I might have to change my name though, because I'll reborn anyway..." she said thinking.

"Are you going to be okay if you go alone?" Harry asked concerned.

"I'll be okay Harry. I'll have your parents to be my friends."

"Okay. Let's do it."

"Memoriae colligimus", Hermione pronounced clearly pointing her wand to Harry's head then she pointed the wand towards the pile of books and said "Adscribam."

A golden sparkle of light left from the end of the wand immediately. It found the first book and the book started to riffle the pages filling them with text. Harry looked at the books amazed; it seemed there were a lot of things to tell about those seven years.

When the books where finished, there also appeared moving pictures of the events and headlines on the covers:

_Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_

_Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_

_Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_

_Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_

_Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince_

_Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_

Harry was astonished. The covers were perfect for each year.

"Did you create these covers 'Mione?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, I thought they'd be lovely."

"They are."

"I was thinking that I don't need to inform anyone about my leaving, because anyway I'm going to change the future. So I thought I'd leave now."

"You have none of your stuff with you! You need clothes!"

"Oh you have forgotten the extension charm have you?" Hermione asked showing her bag.

She took one book at the time and put them inside the bag. She had even thought enough (why wouldn't she have?) and chosen an ageless bag, so she'd fit the 70's. She was wearing plain black robes with a Gryffindor-red cloak so her clothing fitted too.

"Which year are you going to?" Harry asked.

"I was thinking 1978, the year they were seventh graders."

"Sounds great."

"I'm going to miss you Harry, even though I'll live through our seven years together again..." Hermione admitted.

"I'll miss you too." Harry said and hugged his best friend deeply.

Hermione took the time turner in her hand and started spinning. When it was ready she said "I love you", and disappeared.

**1978**

Hermione appeared on a huge field. She thanked Merlin that Harry's house or the neighbourhood wasn't built yet. That would've been awkward, arriving into some strangers flat. She knew the best option would've been to use the time turner in Hogwarts, so she would've appeared there, but this was fine, because there was no muggles to see.

She checked one more time that there was no one, and then disapparated. She found herself in Forbidden Forest. It seemed exactly the same, though some trees were significantly smaller. Hermione lit her wand and started walking towards the familiar castle.

She walked to the huge front doors and knocked. She knew that the door informed professor McGonagall that someone was at the door. And as she expected in a minutes time the doors opened. A familiar witch in emerald green robes was standing there looking confused for not recognising the young witch.

"I am Hermione Granger, professor McGonagall; I'd like to speak to the Headmaster." Hermione informed.

"May I see your left arm please, Ms Granger," McGonagall asked, of course thinking the younger witch was a Death Eater.

Hermione took of her cloak, and pulled up the sleeve of her robes hesitantly. When McGonagall saw her arm she gasped. The quite fresh scar Bellatrix Lestrange had made screamed its message; Mudblood.

"Godric, come inside, dear. How come you haven't gone to Hogwarts?" McGonagall asked concerned.

"I'd prefer to explain all in the Headmasters office," Hermione answered as they walked eyeing the students around them.

"Of course, dear."

When they arrived to the office, Dumbledore was waiting for them.

"Oh hello Minerva, I was expecting you, I saw this young lady coming when I was scanning the beautiful nature. What's your name dear?" he said when they walked through the door.

"Hermione Granger, sir," she answered.

"And I guess you have some reason you have arrived here?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes. I come from the future. I have some information that'll help destroy Voldemort."

Whatever the professors were expecting, it wasn't this. McGonagall missed the chair she was just sitting herself down.

"What?" She shrieked shocked.

"Yes, I was born 1979, a year from now. My best friend defeated the Dark Lord, but we lost many important persons. I know there's already been loads of deaths, but now is a better time, this is when it should've happened," Hermione explained.

"But- but you can't travel time!" McGonagall protested.

"Time travelling was invented 1989 by a man called Thomas Brezina. There's this object," Hermione explained showing them the Time turner "is called a time turner, and when you turn the hourglass, you go back in time according to the number of turns."

"Fascinating." McGonagall breathed.

"Fascinating it is indeed. So Ms Granger, would you tell us the hints we need?" Dumbledore asked.

"Oh yes, I have seven books, which I'd like to read with eight people from this time", Hermione told them.

"Who would those eight people be?" asked McGonagall.

"James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Lily Evans, Frank Longbottom, Alice Prewett and you two."

"Where'd this reading take place?" Dumbledore asked.

"A room called The Room of Requirement, also known as the Come and Go room."

"It exists? I thought those were only rumours," Dumbledore concluded surprised.

"I'll collect the students Albus", McGonagall informed.

"Sure."

There was a fight between James Potter and Lily Evans going on in the Head's dorm when McGonagall arrived.

"POTTER, I WILL NOT GO OUT WITH YOU NOW AND I NEVER WILL!"

"I'M SORRY THAT I HAPPEN TO LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND I KNOW YOU LOVE ME TOO!"

"MS EVANS, MR POTTER, STOP FIGHTING!"

Silence.

"Thank you. Now would you please come with me?"

They walked together to the Gryffindor tower. McGonagall asked them to wait while she visited the common room. Soon she came with four students.

"Hi Padfoot, Moony, what's this all about?"

"Haven't a clue, Prongs. Hi Lily-Flower," Sirius answered.

"Follow me please", McGonagall said then.

They walked silently, scared of what they'd done, towards the Headmasters office.

"Oh, here they are, thank you Minerva," Dumbledore said when they arrived, "Now would you escort the way, Ms Granger?"

And they walked again. When they arrived to the tapestry everyone was confused. It was a dead end. Hermione started walking back and forth in front of the wall.

"Are you lost?" Sirius asked the girl smiling.

"No, now shut up Sirius," Hermione said as she turned towards the wall.

Everyone had been so busy looking at the weird girl no one knew that not one of them had noticed a door appearing. When Hermione grabbed the handle and opened the door, everyone gasped.

There was a room that seemed like any common room, but it wasn't. It was coloured red and gold just like Gryffindor common room and there were three arm chairs and three sofas.

"Everyone, please take your seats", Hermione requested.

As expected Albus and Minerva chose to sit on arm chairs and Frank and Alice took a sofa. Remus sat on an armchair and James sat on one sofa and Sirius to other. Hermione looked at Lily who was still standing, not really wanting to sit next to either of the boys. Hermione decided to give it a little kick and sat next to Sirius. Lily wasn't pleased but sat next to James anyway.

"Okay so, hello everyone, my name is Hermione Granger, and I have brought you a little read," Hermione told them and excavated the seven books from her tiny bag.

"Whoa," Sirius said from next to her.

"You're also probably wondering what this room is. It's The Room of Requirement. I asked it to be a suitable to us to live here for as long as we need to read these books. Don't worry, I also asked that the time outside the room is stopped while we are here. There is sadly no food, but I forethought it," Hermione told them her arm again going through the insides of her bag.

Soon she found what she was looking for and dragged it up. It was a miniature refrigerator. She put it on the floor and enlargened it.

"This is a refrigerator. It's full of food for us to eat. I have put a cooling charm on it so it'll work", she explained the confused watchers.

"What are we doing here actually? And why don't you go to Hogwarts Hermione?" Frank asked.

"Well I guess it's time to tell. I'm a muggleborn witch called Hermione Granger as you already know. I was born 19th of September 1979."

Gasp.

"I went to Hogwarts 1991. Voldemort was defeated by my best friend with the help of mine 1998. These books I brought tell about those years in between."

"But you can't travel time."

"Not yet."

"So why did you choose us to listen?" Remus asked.

"You have a great deal in this story. You'll see," Hermione explained, "Now shall we start?"

"Yeah!" Everyone said.

Hermione grabbed the first book and read the headline; "**Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone**".

Gasp.

"Did you say Potter? Is he my son?" James asked.

"Yes he is", Hermione confirmed.

"Who's the mother?" James asked glancing at Lily.

"You'll see," Hermione answered smiling. "**The first chapter; The boy who lived.**"


	2. The boy who lived

**A/N: Here's the second chapter, I hope you like it.**

**The original text from the books will be written on bold.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and the text written on bold. They're by a fabulous lady called J.K. Rowling**

**Chapter two: The boy who lived**

**"The Boy Who Lived"**

"What does that mean, the boy who lived? All boys live, as far as I know", Sirius wondered.

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**

"Sounds very lovely," Sirius noted.

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**

"But of course they have skeletons in their closet." Frank said. "That's why it's said that way."

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.**

"What are drills?" James asked.

"A drill is a tool used for drilling holes in various materials or fastening various materials together with the use of fasteners." Hermione informed the purebloods.

**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache.**

"As though having large moustache compensates the fact that he has no neck." Sirius laughed.

**Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours.**

"That sounds just like my sister." Lily gasped.

"You must have a lovely sister." James said.

"Oh she's a nightmare. Hermione, please tell me it's not her."

**Hermione didn't look Lily as she continued reading.**

**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

"There definitely is", said Hermione.

"You've met the boy?" asked Alice.

"I've heard of him."

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it.**

"Ha, skeletons in the closet, I knew it!" Frank shouted.

"And no one doubted you honey."

**They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with Potters!" James shouted.

**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister,**

"Oh no, just no. Hermione, is it what I suspect?" Lily asked.

"I believe so."

"Shit."

"Language, Ms Evans." Minerva said.

**but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.**

"Is that even a word?" James asked.

"Definitely not a proper one," answered Lily.

**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street.**

"The neighbours wouldn't care." said Lily.

**The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him.**

"Harry?" asked Remus.

"Yes. Harry." Hermione confirmed.

**This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

"A CHILD LIKE WHAT?" roared James.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work,**

"Why'd he do that?" wondered Sirius, who couldn't live without fun.

**and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

"I already hate the kid." said Alice.

**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

"An owl?" wondered Dumbledore, "They should not go to muggle suburbans like that."

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.**

"Git", said Alice.

**'Little tyke,' chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

"I hate this Mr. Dursley also."

"Alice, we all know you hate them, could you just shut up now?" Remus asked.

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar — a cat reading a map.**

"Could it be –"started Dumbledore and then looked at Hermione. Hermione nodded.

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen — then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight.**

"MINNIE IS THAT YOU?"

"Mr. Black, how many times do I have to say that I'm not Minnie? I'm Minerva or professor McGonagall. And for you it's definitely professor McGonagall because you are my student."

**What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive — no,_looking _at the sign; cats couldn't read maps _or _signs.**

"Yeah, It's Minnie, who wants to bet?" Sirius asked.

"Mr. Black, do you want detention?"

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

"Git", said James.

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.**

"They should be more careful." McGonagall said.

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes —the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion.**

"There's nothing stupid in wearing a cloak!" James defended.

**He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdoes standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together.**

**Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all;**

"Of course, not all wizards are young." said Sirius.

**why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt —these people were obviously collecting for something… yes, that would be it.**

"I don't think they're collecting money, but what's gotten them all so excited?" Dumbledore wondered.

**The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills. Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor.**

"Why'd you do that? You'd have to concentrate on work!" Sirius astonished.

**If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning._He_didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at night-time.**

"Why's that?" Alice wondered.

"Owls naturally sleep during days. Muggles don't use them as mail deliverers, and they're really rarely seen." Lily explained.

**Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people.**

"Git." said Sirius and James together.

**He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs**

"EXCUSE ME WHAT?" shouted Sirius.

**and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

"Ah, everything's fine again."

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy.**

"Maybe you need to pee."

"SIRIUS!" yelled Lily, "Stop interrupting or we'll never get through these books!"

**This bunch was whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag,**

"Now he must be happy."

"Seriously Sirius stop!"

"Of course, siriusly I'm Sirius."

"Not funny."

**that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**'The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard —'**

"What is it with us?" James wondered

**'— yes, their son, Harry —**

"Is he okay?"

"He's okay", Hermione promised.

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead.**

"WOHOOO!" James and Sirius shouted together.

**Fear flooded him.**

"Oh. Damn, he didn't die."

**He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind.**

"He's scared of her wife." Hermione slipped.

**He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey.**

"Why'd I call my son Harvey? That's an idiotic name."

**Or Harold.**

"Or Harold. Not any better."

**There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her — if _he'd _had a sister like that…but all the same, those people in cloaks…**

"Okay, I really want to know who the wife is!" James pouted.

"I'm think it might be me." Lily confessed.

"Really?" James asked.

"Well, this Mrs. Dursley sounds very much like my sister Petunia. And I'm pretty sure her fiancé is a Dursley."

"I'M GONNA MARRY LILY, SHE'S GONNA HAVE SEX WITH ME, WE'LL HAVE A SON TOGETHER. WHICH MEANS SHE'LL GO OUT WITH ME!"

"James calm down." said Lily.

"James?" wondered Sirius, "since when is he James?"

"Since now, Black."

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

"I hope he's okay. I mean the someone he walked into," Sirius laughed.

**'Sorry,' he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell.**

**It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak.**

"Siriusly, why are they all in the muggle world?" Sirius asked.

"You'll see," answered Hermione grimly.

**He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground.**

"That's weird."

**On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, 'Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today!**

"Why is that?" asked James.

"James, if you waited a minute, you could find out!" Lily commented.

**Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last!**

"Voldemort's gone?" wondered Dumbledore.

**Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!'**

"He should really be more careful", commented Minerva.

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

"He fitted?!" wondered Sirius and James.

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was.**

"Muggle is none magic person." Lily informed.

"Lily, love, we all know that." James said making Lily blush.

"I'm not your love, James."

"Well you'll marry me, so you have to be."

"Shut it!"

**He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

"How can someone not approve of imagination?" Sirius wondered.

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw—and it didn't improve his mood — was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning.**

"Hi Minnie!" Sirius said loudly.

"Detention Mr. Black, after we have finished the books." McGonagall said.

**It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

**'Shoo!' said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

"Not going to work!" Sirius said in sing-song voice.

**The cat didn't move.**

"I told you!"

**It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior?**

"No, but it's normal Minnie behavior." said James.

"Mr. Potter will join Mr. Black in detention."

"Whoops."

**Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

"Dursley's scared!"

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ('Shan't!').**

"Well that's an important word to know." James laughed.

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**'And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern.' The newscaster allowed himself a grin.**

"The muggles are starting to suspect. It's not good." Dumbledore stated.

**'Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?'**

"Good joke for the situation though!" James said laughing.

**'Well, Ted,' said the weatherman, 'I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars!**

"That's weird."

**Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight.'**

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters…**

"He knows it's wizards." Lily said.

"But he's a muggle." James protested.

"Who happens to be the husband of my sister, he knows about us."

"Oh."

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er — Petunia, dear — you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?'**

"She's not going to like that."

"Why doesn't she like you?"

"I guess she's jealous. I mean she wanted to be a witch too. But she wasn't. She started calling me a freak. Then she moved out and I have hardly heard from her," Lily said, a tear dropping to her face.

James took the chance and sat closer to her, wiped of the tears and hugged her. Lily didn't object. Sirius winked to Hermione.

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

**'No,' she said sharply. 'Why?'**

**'Funny stuff on the news,' Mr. Dursley mumbled. 'Owls…shooting stars…and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…'**

**'_So?_' snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**'Well, I just thought… maybe… it was something to do with…you know…_her _crowd.'**

"Her crowd, that's what they call us."

"Yeah, if they ever talk about us at all."

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter.' He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, 'Their son — he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?'**

**'I suppose so,' said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**'What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?'**

"Merlin, no."

**'Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me.'**

"It's better than Dudley anyway."

**'Oh, yes,' said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. 'Yes, I quite agree.'**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

**Was he imagining things?**

"You don't approve of imagination if I recall correctly." James noted.

**Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

"Well I don't want everyone to know that I have relatives like you either." Lily said.

James stroked her cheek and pulled her closer to him.

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind… He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect _them_…**

"I have a bad feeling about this." said Lily.

**How very wrong he was.**

"Damn."

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

"She must've been numb after that."

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground.**

"I believe he did appear out of thin air, if he's a wizard.

**The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt.**

"DUMBLEDORE!" Shouted James and Sirius.

"Yes boys, I do think it's me, but calm down please," Dumbledore said amused.

**He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice.**

"Is it broken?" asked James

"Yes, I'm afraid."

**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

"Wohooo!"

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, 'I should have known.'**

"Yeah, definitely Minnie." Remus said.

"Mr. Lupin, you'll join your fellow Marauders in detention."

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**

"Cool! I want one!" James said.

**He clicked it again — the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer,**

"Is that what it's called?"

"No, it's called a deluminator."

**until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement.**

"Secretive."

**Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it. 'Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall.'**

"Yei, it was Minnie!"

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

**'How did you know it was me?' she asked.**

**'My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly.'**

**'You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day,' said Professor McGonagall.**

"No one asked you to, I believe, Minnie."

"You want another detention Potter?"

"No."

"Then don't call me Minnie."

**'All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here.'**

"I'M HUNGRY!" Sirius shouted.

"I thought we could have lunch after this chapter, is that okay?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, that's good babe," Sirius winked.

"I'm not your babe."

"Yet."

"Okay, could you two lovey-doveys shut up so we can finish the chapter soon, I'm hungry too", James said.

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**'Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right,' she said impatiently. 'You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no — even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news.' She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. 'I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars… Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent — I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle.**

"He's never had much sense." said Sirius.

**He never had much sense.'**

"Padfoot's like Minnie!"

"Detention, Potter."

**'You can't blame them,' said Dumbledore gently. 'We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years.'**

"Eleven years? That means it's three more years 'till this?"

"Yes, this day is the first of November 1981." Hermione informed.

**'I know that,' said Professor McGonagall irritably. 'But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours.'**

"What rumours?" Sirius asked Hermione.

"You'll see."

Sirius sighed deeply.

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. 'A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really _has _gone, Dumbledore?'**

"That's what I'd like to know too," said Minerva.

**'It certainly seems so,' said Dumbledore. 'We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbert lemon?'**

"A what?"

"A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of muggle sweet I'm rather fond of", Dumbledore informed.

**'A _what?_'**

**'A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of.'**

**'No, thank you,' said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for sherbet lemon.**

"It's always a good moment for sherbet lemon. You want some?" Dumbledore asked.

"No thanks." Everyone said.

**'As I say, even if You-Know-Who _has _gone —'**

**'My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this "You-Know-Who" nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: _Voldemort_.'**

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two sherbert lemon, seemed not to notice. 'It all gets so confusing if we keep saying "You-Know-Who." I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.'**

"That's because you're the only person You-know-who's frightened of." Minerva said.

**'I know you haven't,' said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. 'But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right_, Voldemort_, was frightened of.'**

**'You flatter me,' said Dumbledore calmly. 'Voldemort had powers I will never have.'**

"Only because you're too noble to use them," James said.

**'Only because you're too — well —_noble _to use them.'**

"Jamesie's like Minnie!"

"Mr. Black, detention."

**'It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.'**

"Aww."

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said 'The owls are nothing next to the_rumours_that are flying around. You know what they're saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?'**

"I'd like to know too." Frank said.

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now.**

**It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.**

"You know Albus, it's annoying when you do that," Minerva said.

**'What they're _saying_,' she pressed on, 'is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters.**

"Oh no, Hermione, please tell me it's not what I think it is." Sirius pleaded.

**The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're —_dead_.'**

"No!" Sirius shouted.

There was a silence in the room for a while. Hermione was hugging Sirius, James and Lily were still clinged to each other looking shocked, Alice was crying and Frank was trying to comfort her. After everyone had calmed down a little, Hermione continued reading.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**'Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…'**

"Good to know you care about us, professor." Lily said.

"You are like children I never had." Minerva told them.

"Thanks professor."

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. 'I know… I know…' he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. 'That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry.**

"Why'd he want to kill a small baby?"

**But he couldn't.**

"He couldn't kill Harry?"

**He couldn't kill that little one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort'spower somehow broke — and that's why he's gone.'**

"Oh dear, this is weird."

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

"It's true?"

**'It's — it's _true_?' faltered Professor McGonagall. 'After all he's done… all the people he's killed… he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him…but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?'**

**'We can only guess.' said Dumbledore. 'We may never know.'**

"I'm quite sure he knows." James said.

"He does." Hermione confirmed.

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, 'Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?'**

"Yei, Hagrid", Sirius said half heartedly, still shocked about the future deaths of his best friend and his future wife.

**'Yes,' said Professor McGonagall. 'And I don't suppose you're going to tell me_why_you're here, of all places?'**

**'I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now.'**

"No, I don't want my son to live with Petunia; he'll have a miserable childhood!" Lily said.

"Yeah, why can't he live with me? Or Remus?" Sirius asked.

"Third book." Hermione said.

**'You don't mean – you can't mean the people who live here?' cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. 'Dumbledore — you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets.**

"Git." Alice said.

**Harry Potter come and live here!'**

"Exactly, Dumbledore, what were you thinking?"

**'It's the best place for him,' said Dumbledore firmly. 'His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter.'**

"A letter? You think you can explain it all in a letter?" Minerva questioned.

**'A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter?**

**These people will never understand him! He'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future —there will be books written about Harry — every child in our world will know his name!'**

"He'll be better away from it." Dumbledore stated.

**'Exactly,' said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. 'It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?'**

"He would be big headed like his father", Lily said, "Though I don't think he should live with 'Tuney."

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, 'Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?' She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

"You better not", Lily said.

**'Hagrid's bringing him.'**

**'You think it —_wise_— to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?'**

"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said James.

**'I would trust Hagrid with my life,' said Dumbledore.'**

"James's like Dumbledore!"

**'I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place,' said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, 'but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to — what was that?'**

"What was what?"

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

"COOOL! I WANT ONE!" Sirius said.

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so_wild_— long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

"Awww!" The girls said together.

**'Hagrid,' said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. 'At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?'**

**'Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir,' said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. 'Young Sirius Black lent it to me.**

"I'LL GET A MOTORCYCLE THAT FLIES? WOHOOO!" Sirius shouted.

**I've got him, sir.'**

**'No problems, were there?'**

**'No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol.'**

"Awww!"

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

"Is that where -?" asked Frank.

Hermione nodded.

**'Is that where —?' whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**'Yes,' said Dumbledore. 'He'll have that scar forever.'**

**'Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?'**

**'Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground.**

"Too much information professor", Lily laughed.

**Well — give him here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with.'**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**'Could I — could I say good-bye to him, sir?' asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss.**

**Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

**"'Shhh!' hissed Professor McGonagall, 'You'll wake the Muggles!'**

**'S-s-sorry,' sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. 'But I c-c-can't stand it —Lily an' James dead — an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles —'**

**'Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found,' Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door.**

**He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two.**

"YOU LEFT MY SON ON THE DOORSTEP?" Lily yelled.

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

**'Well,' said Dumbledore finally, 'that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations.'**

"HUNGRY!" yelled Sirius.

"We know that, there's not much of this chapter left." Hermione said checking the start of next chapter.

**'Yeah,' said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, 'I best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir.'**

"I love that he says Professor Dumbledore, sir." Frank laughed.

"That's just showing that he respects Dumbledore." Lily stated.

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

"Awesome."

**'I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall,' said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lampsso that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**'Good luck, Harry,' he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

"Poor Harry, left there in the middle of the night. What were they thinking?"

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles,**

"Ahh, lovely way to wake up, isn't it?" James said.

**nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley…He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'To Harry Potter — the boy who lived!'**

"That's the end of the chapter." Hermione informed.

"Great, now food?" Sirius asked.

Hermione waved her wand towards the refrigerator and soon there was some roast beef and potatoes for them to eat. As they needed a table the Room made them one. It was dark oak table with two long oak benches. There was also 9 sets of plates on the table. Hermione levitated the food on the table.

When everyone was seated and they had food on their plates they started to chat. When they had finished they returned to the reading spot.

"So Hermione, will you get back immediately after we finish with the books?" asked Sirius without a smile.

"Oh yeah, I was going to bring that up. It's not possible to travel forward in time, so I have to live the time again. Though if I'd go back it might shock me, because things might be really different. So it's better to live it all here. We just need to make a cover story for me. And a new name, at least last name, because I'll reborn in a year." she told them.

"Ms. Granger, I have an idea for that." McGonagall said.

"Yes?"

"You are my daughter, and used to live with your father and were homeschooled by him, but he died recently and you needed to come to Hogwarts to me, your mother, and to finish your education," the elder lady proposed.

"That sounds actually good." Hermione smiled.

"And the time I've been teaching is perfect, I started teaching when you would've been one year old."

"We need a birthday for me. What about 19th of September 1959?" Hermione suggested.

"That sounds good." Minerva smiled.

"I think we need to make a spell to make it seem real if someone from the ministry happens to check," Albus proposed.

"Yeah, that's good."

"Please stand next to each other and grab each other's hands." Albus asked, "Cognatione iunctus".

A red spark came from the end of Dumbledore's wand. It wrapped around the joined hands and branched then to both women's chests. Then it disappeared into their hearts.

"You can now let go." Dumbledore smiled.

The women let go, but hugged then each other happily.

"Hi Hermione McGonagall," Minerva saluted smiling.

"Hi Mum," Hermione answered grinning.

The women returned to their previous seats.

"Should we continue now? Does someone else want to read?" Hermione asked.

"I can read." Lily reported herself.

**"The Vanishing Glass"**


	3. The Vanishing Glass

**A/N: So, the next chapter's here! Hope you enjoy :) The text from the books will be on bold.**

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to our Queen, Joanne K. Rowling. **

**Chapter three: The Vanishing Glass**

**"The Vanishing Glass"**

"Sounds like some accidental magic to me," Frank comments.

"But really weird sounding accidental magic… A vanishing glass? Why'd he accidentally vanish a glass?" Lily wondered.

"Don't know," answered James.

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursley's had woken up to find their nephew on the front step,**

"Then Harry'll get his Hogwarts letter soon!" Sirius says with enthusiasm.

**but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. **

"Surprise, 'Tuney likes to keep everything the same, if something changes that'd be just weird to her," noted Lily.

**The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursley's' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. **

"Oh, the fateful thing was the news report, not that my son had to come live with you?" James bewailed.

**Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different colored bobble hats **

"Good description," laughed Alice.

**- but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, **

"Oh, he's not a baby for ten years? That's weird," said Sirius.

**and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on the roundabout at the fair, playing games with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. **

"That's nice. Not." said Alice.

**The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house too.**

"He's not living there anymore?" James asked happily.

'**Yet Harry potter was still there, **

"Damn."

**asleep at the moment, but not for long. His aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice which made the first noise of the day**.

"Oh, I hate waking up like that," Lily said.

'**Up, Get up! Now!'**

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again. 'Up' she screeched.**

"Lovely," said James, "Wouldn't want to wake up like that, that's for sure."

**Harry heard her walking towards the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the cooker. He rolled on to his back and tried to remember the dream he had being having.**

"I do that too, dreams are great thing to remember, except nightmares of course," Dumbledore said smiling, "Though it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

**It had being a good one. There had being a flying motorbike in it he had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

"He remembers the bike? He was only one year old then!" Lily astonished.

**His aunt was back outside the door.**

'**Are you up yet?' she demanded.**

'**Nearly,' said Harry."**

'**Well get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, **

"SHE MAKES HIM COOK?" Lily screamed.

**I want everything perfect for Duddy's birthday.'**

James groaned.

**Harry groaned.**

'**What did you say?'**

**His aunt snapped through the door.**

'**Nothing nothing…'**

**Dudley's birthday – how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed.**

**And, after pulling a spider off one of them, **

"I hate spiders," Lily said.

**put them on. Harry was used to spiders,**

"How can he be?" Lily shuddered.

**because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them,**

"What does it matter if a cupboard under the stairs is full of them?" James wondered.

**and that was where he slept. **

"WHAT?!" everyone screeched. Even Hermione.

"Didn't you know?" Sirius asked Hermione when he noticed her be as shocked as everyone else.

"He hardly told anything about his life before Hogwarts. I knew it was miserable, but this was nothing I expected." Hermione said.

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents.**

"Spoiled prat," said Alice.

**It looked as though Dudley had got the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise – Unless of course it involved punching somebody.**

"Git."

**Dudley's favorite punch-bag was Harry, **

"What? My poor baby," pitied Lily.

**But he couldn't often catch him.**

"Go Harry!" Sirius yelled.

**Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast. Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age.**

"No, that's your father's genes," Remus said laughing.

"Shut it Moony."

**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. **

"They don't even buy him own clothes?"

**Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair **

"Just like James then", said Lily.

**And bright-green eyes. **

"He has Lily's eyes!" James cheered.

**He wore round glasses held together by a lot of Sellotape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. **

"Poor Harry."

**The only thing Harry liked about his appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning. **

"He liked it?" asked Hermione and then added, "He used to hate it for reminding of his parents' deaths. Also it made everyone recognize him. He didn't like his publicity."

**He had had it as long as he could remember and the first question he could ever remember asking his aunt was how he had got it.**

**'In the car crash when your parents died,'**

"I knew a letter wouldn't be enough, Albus," Minerva said.

"They hate magic, they wouldn't want Harry to know," Lily said.

**She had said. 'And don't ask questions.' Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursley's.**

"How's he supposed to learn if he isn't allowed to ask questions?"

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon. 'Comb your hair!' **

"If the hair is anything like mine, combing it won't make it any different," James said pulling his hair backwards with his fingers. Almost immediately it was back on his face.

**he barked, by way of a morning greeting.** **About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut.**

**Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way - all over the place.**

"It's the genes, sorry mate," said James.

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large, pink face, not muck neck, small, watery blue eyes and thick, blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel **

"I didn't know baby angels were ugly," said Alice.

**– Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig. **

There was a roar of laughter. It took up to five minutes for everyone to stop laughing and continue reading.

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley meanwhile was counting his presents. 'Thirty-six,'**

"Thirty-six? Even I don't get that much presents!" James said**.**

"Really? And I thought you were spoiled," said Lily.

**he said, looking up at his mother and father. 'That's two less than last year.' **

"Oh dear God, how can they spoil their kid like that?" wondered Minerva.

**'Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy.' **

"Thirty-seven, I'm sort of jealous, and then I pity the parents, if they have to buy one more gift every year than the previous." Alice said.

**'All right then, thirty-seven then,' said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over. **

"Good thinking Harry," laughed James.

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger too, because she said quickly, 'And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that pumpkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?' **

"Really they shouldn't spoil the boy any more…" said Lily.

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, 'So I'll have thirty ... thirty ...' **

"He can't even count?" Frank astonished.

**'Thirty nine, sweetums,' said Aunt Petunia. **

**'Oh.' Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. 'All right then.'**

**Uncle Vernon chuckled. 'Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. Atta boy, Dudley!' **

"I don't think it's Dudley's money though," Remus stated.

**He ruffled Dudley's hair. At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a cine-camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games and a video recorder. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone, looking both angry and worried.**

"What is it?" wondered Lily.

**'Bad news, Vernon,' she said. 'Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him.'**

"He has a name," James said looking angry.

**She jerked her head in Harry's direction. Dudley's mouth fell open in horror but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday his parents took him and a friend to, adventure parks, hamburger bars or the cinema. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away.**

"Could she be Arabella?" Dumbledore asked Hermione.

"Yes, that's her."

"So I didn't leave him totally alone in the muggle world."

"Who's Arabella?" asked Lily.

Dumbledore looked at Hermione, who said, "Well she comes up in the fifth book, so I guess you could tell 'em."

"Arabella Figg is a Squib, who is a member of the Order of Phoenix, which is a secret society that fights against Voldemort. I have probably asked her to look after Harry," Dumbledore explained.

**Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at all the cats she'd ever owned.** '**Now what?' said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. **

"How could he have done that?" James wondered.

**Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Mr. Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws and Tufty again.**

"Arabella is quite obsessed with her cats," Dumbledore smiled.

**'We could phone Marge,' Uncle Vernon suggested.**

**'Don't be silly Vernon, she hates the boy.'**

"The boy has a name, it's Harry, H-A-R-R-Y, Harry." James said looking angry.

**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there - or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug.**

**'What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne?'**

**'On holiday in Majorca,' snapped Aunt Petunia.**

**'You could just leave me here,'**

"They won't." Lily predicted.

** Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer.**

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon. 'And come back and find the house in ruins?' she snarled.**

"He wouldn't blow up the house," Lily said.

**'I won't blow up the house,' said Harry,**

"Like mother like son," laughed James.

**but they weren't listening.**

'**I suppose we could take him to the zoo,' said Aunt Petunia slowly, '... and leave him in the car ...'**

"My son is not a dog 'Tuney!" shouted Lily.

'**That car's new; he's not sitting in it alone ...' Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact he wasn't really crying, it had been years since he'd really cried, but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted. **

**"Spoiled prat." saidAlice.**

**'Dinky Duddydums,**

"Excuse me, what?" breathed Sirius while laughing very hard**.**

**Don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!' she cried, flinging her arms around him.**

**'I ... don't ... want ... him ... t-t-to come!' Dudley yelled between huge pretend sobs. 'He always sp-spoils everything!'**

"If you expect everything to be perfect, it'll be easy to spoil," Frank said.

**He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms. Just then, the doorbell rang – 'Oh, Good Lord, they're here!' said Aunt Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. **

"Sounds like Pete. Why isn't here though?" James asked.

"Third book," Hermione said, not looking at anyone.

The reason Peter Pettigrew wasn't there was because Hermione didn't want Voldemort to know about this, and she didn't know at which point did Pettigrew turn to Voldemort. It would be much easier to destroy the horcruxes if Voldemort didn't know.

**He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once. Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life.**

"It won't last. Something will go wrong. I know." Lily said smiling sadly.

**His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside. 'I'm warning you,' he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, **

"Poor Harry. I wouldn't want that face close to mine," James said with a disgusted face.

**'I'm warning you now, boy - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas.'**

"He can't do that!" Lily shouted.

**'I'm not going to do anything,' said Harry, 'honestly ...' **

"Sadly he probably can't control whatever he'll do, it'll be accident."

**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did. **

**The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursley's he didn't make them happen. **

"That's because you're a wizard, Harry." said Lily smiling.

**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barber's looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his fringe, which she left 'to hide that horrible scar'. **

"Like that'd look better," Lily said, "I actually like the hair," she continued and ruffled James' hair laughing.

"You do?" James asked pulling his fingers through the hair.

"Yes," Lily smiled.

**Dudley laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and his Sellotape glasses. Next morning, however, he had got up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly. **

"Petunia knows it's accidental magic, and that he can't control it. She just punishes him for being magical." Lily said.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old jumper of Dudley's (brown with orange bobbles). **

"Disgusting," said Alice.

**The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a glove puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished.**

"Good."

** On the other hand, he'd got into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney.**

"He apparated? That's very strong accidental magic," wondered Dumbledore.

** The Dursley's had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big bins outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump. **

"I think he really wanted to get safe and that's how he ended up there," Minerva said.

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong. **

"I guess something has to go wrong," said Frank.

**It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living-room. **

"Yeah, I guess the change must be nice," said Alice.

**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry,**

"He said that already!" Sirius said.

"I guess it's just trying to show the point," Lily said.

**the bank and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorbikes.**

**'... Roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums,' he said, as a motorbike overtook them.**

**'I had a dream about a motorbike,' said Harry, remembering suddenly.**

"Harry, you better not say it!" James warned.

**'It was flying.'**

"Damn."

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beetroot with a moustache, 'MOTORBIKES DON'T FLY!' Dudley and Piers snickered. 'I know they don't,' said Harry. 'It was only a dream.'**

"He should learn to shut up in right moments," Alice smiled sadly.

"He never really did," Hermione laughed, "that gave him some detentions in fifth year."

**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursley's hated more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even in a cartoon - they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas. **

"Dangerous ideas, like going to hell from the house with a flying motorbike? I'd rather do that and die than stay there," Sirius said.

Hermione smiled remembering how Harry left the house in the end. He could've died then, riding a motorbike with Hagrid on top of England.

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with people. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice-creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice lolly. **

"Yei, Harry got ice cream!" Sirius cheered.

**It wasn't bad either,** **Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head and looking remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

"Take him home with you, no one'll see the difference," laughed James.

**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursley's so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him.**

"Good thinking", said Remus.

** They ate in the zoo restaurant and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbockers glory wasn't big enough, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. Harry felt, afterwards, that he should have known it was all too good to last. **

"Knew it wasn't gonna last…" Frank said.

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in here, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car, and crushed it into a dustbin** **- but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils. 'Make it move,' he whined at his father. **

"He's so used to get everything he wants that if an animal sleeps, it needs to be awake if he wants? Jerk." said Alice.

**Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge. 'Do it again,' Dudley ordered Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on. 'This is boring,' Dudley moaned. **

"You deserve it, you git," Alice said.

**He shuffled away Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself - no company except people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard for a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up - at least he got to visit the rest of the house. **

"He's a good person, though his own life sucks, he pities the ones who have worse", smiled Lily.

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were level with Harry's.**

"Is that normal snake behavior?" asked Remus.

**It winked.**

"Impossible, snakes don't have eyelids." James said.

** Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too. The snake jerked its head towards Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: 'I get that all the time.' **

"This is weird, Harry communicates with the snake…" Sirius said.

**'I know,' Harry, murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. 'It must be really annoying.'**

"I really hope the snake can't understand him. He can't be a parseltongue," James said.

**The snake nodded vigorously. **

"Damn."

**'Where do you come from, anyway?' Harry asked. The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.  
Boa Constrictor, Brazil. **

**'Was it nice there?'**

"Really, my son just asked a snake whether he liked Brazil? This is way too weird."Lily said.

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. **

**'Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil?'**

"Weird oh so weird," Sirius sang.

** As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump. 'DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!' Dudley came waddling **

"Waddling," laughed James.

**towards them as fast as he could. 'Out of the way, you,' he said, punching Harry in the ribs. **

"Ouch."

**Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. **

"Bigger Ouch."

**What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - One second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror. Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. **

"Ah, the Vanishing Glass." said James.

**The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out on to the floor - people throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits. As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, 'Brazil, here I come ... Thanksss, amigo.'**

"He really is a parseltongue, isn't he?" Lily asked Hermione.

"Yes, he is."

"But how?"

"It'll be explained in the next book I believe."

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.**

"I'd be too." said Lily.

** 'But the glass,' he kept saying, 'where did the glass go?' The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber.**

"Surprise."

** As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But, worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, 'Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?' Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, 'Go - cupboard - stay - no meals,' **

**"**No meals? That's just too bad." Frank said.

**before he collapsed into a chair and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking in to the kitchen for some food. He'd lived with the Dursley's almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead.**

"Oh dear Godric, Avada Kedavra? He survived Avada Kedavra?" Dumbledore asked Hermione.

"I could maybe reveal that Voldemort has tried to kill Harry four times with Avada Kedavra, and not one of those succeeded." Hermione said.

"Wow, that's awesome," said Sirius.

**This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. **

Lily and James smiled sadly.

**His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house. When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; **

"Remus and Sirius, you really should have gone to get him." Lily said.

"You know I can't take care of a child because I'm a werewolf," Remus said, "I would've taken him otherwise."

"And I'm sorry to say that Sirius was unavailable at the time." Hermione said.

"Unavailable, in what way?" Sirius asked.

"Third book."

"Come on babe, you know how annoying that is!" Sirius said.

"I'm not your babe, and I don't wanna reveal all the things too early." Hermione said.

**the Dursley's were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. **

"That's because he's famous." Lily smiled.

**Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. **

"Tuney's overreacting." Lily said.

**Wild-looking woman dressed in all green has waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple cloak had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day then walked away without another word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look. **

"They shouldn't have apparated that close to Harry, though he was a wizard himself, other muggles might've noticed." Minerva disapproved.

** At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"That's the end of this chapter," Lily said.

"I'll read now, said James.

**"Letters from no one"**


	4. Letters from no one

**A/N: Here we go again and as always the original text will be on bold. **

**Disclaimer: Am I called J.K. Rowling? No. Therefore I do not own the Harry Potter series. **

**Chapter four: Letters from no one**

**"Letters from no one"**

"I guess it's the Hogwarts letter… Why is it in plural though?" Lily wondered.

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started **

"What about school?" Lily wondered.

"Who cares about school, when was Dudley's birthday?" James asked.

"Dudley was born 23rd of June," Hermione informed them.

"Oh, so only bit over a week. I was scared it was longer." James said.

**Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches. **

"Poor Arabella," pitied Minerva.

**Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. **

"Makes sense," laughed Sirius.

**The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting. This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. **

"Harry's going to Hogwarts!" Sirius cheered.

**When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. **

"YEEEEAH!" shouted James and Sirius together.

**Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school.**

"No, Harry's going to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry", protested Sirius.

"Yes, but he doesn't know it yet, Sirius," said Lily.

**Dudley thought this was very funny.**

"Well I think his going to a school called Smeltings is very funny," said James.

'**They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall,' he told Harry. 'Want to come upstairs and practice?'**

"I don't think the toilet would want Dudley's head in it", James noted.

'**No, thanks,' said Harry. 'The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it — it might be sick.'**

"Like father like son," laughed Sirius.

**Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he'd said. **

"Good idea," Lily laughed.

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's.**

**Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years.**

"Eww," said Alice.

"What a waste of good chocolate!" said Remus.

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. **

"Why'd they have so ugly school uniforms?" Alice said wrinkling her nose.

**They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. **

"So the teachers want the students to hit each other by giving them those sticks?" Lily wondered.

**This was supposed to be good training for later life. **

"Right," Lily said.

**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, **

"Her WHAT?" breathed Sirius between laugh.

**he looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.**

"Yeah, maybe better not to laugh, 'Tuney would've hated that," Lily said.

**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. **

"Why's that?" asked James.

**It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in grey water.**

"Eww, hope that's not food," said Sirius.

'**What's this?' he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.**

'**Your new school uniform,' she said.**

"School uniform?" wondered James.

**Harry looked in the bowl again.**

'**Oh,' he said, 'I didn't realize it had to be so wet.'**

"Aww, he's gotten Lily's sarcasm!" Alice smiled.

'**Don't be stupid,' snapped Aunt Petunia. **

"And 'Tuney hates it", Lily said.

**'I'm dying some of Dudley's old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished.'**

"I doubt that," said James.

**Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue.**

**He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High — like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.**

"Thank Godric he doesn't have to go to Stonewall High; he's going to Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy warty Hogwarts!" Sirius sang.

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.**

**They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.**

"Harry's getting his letter!" sang James.

'**Get the mail, Dudley,' said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

"Wow, he actually asked Ickle Dudleykins to do it!" astonished Sirius.

'**Make Harry get it.'**

'**Get the mail, Harry.'**

'**Make Dudley get it.'**

'**Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley.'**

"Ahh, that sounds more normal."

**Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and — ****_a letter for Harry_****. **

James and Sirius cheered.

**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would?**

"Well Hogwarts of course," said Sirius.

**He had no friends, no other relatives — he didn't belong to the library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**

**_Mr. H. Potter_**

**_The Cupboard under the Stairs 4 Privet Drive_**

**_Little Whinging_**

**_Surrey_**

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink.**

**There was no stamp.**

"Of course there's no stamp, there's no need when owls deliver them", Minerva informed.

**Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter ****_H_****.**

"I wouldn't have paid that much attention to the envelope, and neither should he, what's in it is more interesting and important," said James.

'**Hurry up, boy!' shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. 'What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?' He chuckled at his own joke. Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter. **

"NO! He should've opened it in the hallway!" shouted Lily.

**He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to open the yellow envelope.** **Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard.**

'**Marge's** **ill,' he informed Aunt Petunia. 'Ate a funny whelk…'**

'**Dad!' said Dudley suddenly. 'Dad, Harry's got something!'**

"He had to tell, of course, he couldn't give Harry a moment of happiness?" James pouted.

**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter,** **which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon.**

'**That's ****_mine_****!' said Harry, trying to snatch it back.**

"Yeah, it's his!"

'**Who'd be writing to you?' sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the greyish white of old porridge.**

"Lovely," said Alice.

'**P-P-Petunia!' he gasped.**

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise.**

'**Vernon! Oh my goodness — Vernon!'**

"She's overreacting, like always", said Lily.

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.**

'**I want to read that letter,' he said loudly.**

"Why? It's not yours Ickle Dudleykins", said Sirius.

'**_I _****want to read it,' said Harry furiously, 'as it's ****_mine_****.'**

"Exactly."

'**Get out, both of you,' croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.**

"GIVE MY SON HIS LETTER!" Lily shouted.

**Harry didn't move.**

'**I WANT MY LETTER!' he shouted.**

"And he has Lily's temper too," said Alice.

'**Let ****_me _****see it!' demanded Dudley.** '**OUT!' roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them. Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; **

"Go Harry!" cheered Sirius and James.

**Dudley won, **

"Damn."

**so Harry,** **his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor.**

"Well at least he got to listen."

'**Vernon,' Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, 'look at the address — how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?'**

'**Watching — spying — might be following us,' muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**

"A bit paranoid, isn't he?" noted Remus.

'**But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want —'**

"That wouldn't help," said Dumbledore.

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.**

'**No,' he said finally. 'No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer… Yes, that's best… we won't do anything…'**

"I now understand the plural. We're sending more letters," said Minerva.

'**But —'**

'**I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?'**

"You can't 'stamp out' magic!" yelled Sirius.

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard.**

"He fitted?" wondered Frank.

**'Where's my letter?' **

"Right to the point, I see" James laughed.

**said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. 'Who's writing to me?' **'**No one. It was addressed to you by mistake,' **

"Like he'd believe that.

**said Uncle Vernon shortly. **'**I have burned it.'**

"You can't just burn someone else's letter!" Lily shouted.

'**It was ****_not _****a mistake,' said Harry angrily, 'it had my cupboard on it.' **

'**SILENCE!' yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling. **

"Eww," said Lily.

**He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.**

"Well being a jerk who doesn't approve of imagination smiling probably isn't a event that happens often. His face muscles aren't used to smiling," Sirius noted.

'**Er — yes, Harry — about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking… you're really getting a bit big for it… we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom.'**

"THAT SPOILED PRAT HAS TWO BEDROOMS AND MY SON HAS TO SLEEP IN A CUPBOARD UNDER THE STAIRS?!" James shouted.

'**Why?' said Harry.**

'**Don't ask questions!'** **snapped his uncle. 'Take this stuff upstairs, now.'**

**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge),**

"They have two bedrooms for that prat AND a quest room and my son still lived in a cupboard?" Lily asked.

**one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom.**

"Spoiled prat."

**It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room. **

**He sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was broken. **

"Why do they give Dudley so much stuff, if he even can't keep them unbroken?" wondered Lily.

**The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbour's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favourite program had been cancelled there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. **

"I must've heard you wrong Prongs" said Sirius, "I thought you said Ickle Dudleykins had books in his room."

"That's what it says Padfoot," James said.

**They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched. **

"Ahh okay, everything's fine again."

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, 'I don't ****_want _****him in there… I ****_need _****that room… make him get out…'**

"Poor thing not getting something he wants," laughed Sirius.

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it. **

"I'd rather have both," said Frank.

**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back.** **Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the letter in the hall. **

"Yeah, he definitely should have." said Albus.

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly.**

**When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry, made Dudley go and get it.**

**They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. **

"Poor Ickle Dudleykins," said James.

**Then he shouted, 'There's another one! 'Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive —'**

"If he wanted to read the letter, he should've stayed quiet about it," Lily stated.

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind. **

"Go Harry! You can do it!"

**After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand.** '**Go to your cupboard — **

"He has a bedroom now!" yelled Sirius.

**I mean, your bedroom,'**

"Ahh, better."

**he wheezed at Harry. 'Dudley — go — just go.'**

**Harry walked round and round his new room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan.**

"I'm worried," said Hermione.

"Why?" asked Sirius.

"When Harry was younger his plans were good, but quite easy to guess. He developed to be quite good later. I guess now he's going to wake up early to get the mail first."

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning.**

"Yeah I see what you mean 'Mione," Sirius laughed.

"What did you call me?" Hermione asked.

"'Mione. Don't you like it?" Sirius pouted.

"Now, I like it, I mean Harry used to call me 'Mione, it was just confusing that you said it without me telling about it."

"Oh. Were you dating?" asked Sirius looking a bit jealous.

"Oh, no. He's brilliant, but we were best friends. We wouldn't have wanted to mix it up. And Harry was to me a brother I never had. And Harry found himself a perfect redhead." Hermione said winking at Sirius, who looked a bit happier.

"Ahh the Potter men's curse to fall in love with a redhead," laughed James looking at Lily who was blushing.

"Did you find someone?" Sirius asked.

"Well, I have dated two guys, but neither felt right. You'll hear more about 'em later." Hermione answered.

"Oh." said Sirius trying to move closer to Hermione without her noticing.

Lily and James looked each other and smiled at Sirius's actions. Their faces said quite clearly: 'Someone has a crush'.

**Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights.** **He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first. His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall toward the front door —**

'**AAAAARRRGH!'**

"What happened?" asked Lily worried.

**Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat — something ****_alive_****!**

"Eww."

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the big, squashy something had been his uncle's face.**

"Wouldn't want to step on that either," said Alice.

**Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do. He shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time he got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. **

"Lazy ass, didn't even bother to get up," said Alice.

"Language, Ms Prewett."

"Sorry Professor."

**Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink.**

"I don't think it helps that there's more of them," Lily smiled sadly.

'**I want —' he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes.**

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day.**

**He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot.**

"Not going to wo-ork!" Sirius sang.

'**See,' he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, 'if they can't ****_deliver _****them they'll just give up.'**

'**I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon.'**

"Even Petunia doubts, so it definitely won't work," Sirius laughed.

'**Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me,' **

"And thank Merlin for that", said Remus.

**said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.** **On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom.**

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed 'Tiptoe Through the Tulips' as he worked, and jumped at small noises.**

"He's losing it," said Frank.

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two-dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. **

"Poor milkman, he must've wondered what's wrong with the family…" said Alice.

**While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, **

"The letters aren't going through post office, there's no one to complain to there", said Dumbledore.

**Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.**

'**Who on earth wants to talk to ****_you _****this badly?' Dudley asked Harry in amazement.**

"Hogwarts!" enthusiasted Sirius.

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy.**

'**No post on Sundays,'**

"That's only Muggle World." said Minerva.

**he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers, 'no damn letters today —'**

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursleys ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one—**

"He should've taken one from the floor," noted Sirius.

'**Out! OUT!'**

**Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall.**

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.**

'**That does it,' said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his mustache at the same time. 'I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!'**

"Going somewhere else is not going to change the situation either."

**He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.**

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while.**

'**Shake 'em off… shake 'em off,' he would mutter whenever he did this.**

"Yeah, he has definitely lost it."

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**

"Prat."

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering…**

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.**

'**Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk.'**

"A hundred? That's quite much," smiled Alice.

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:**

**_Mr. H. Potter_**

**_Room 17_**

**_Railview Hotel_**

**_Cokeworth_**

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared.**

**'I'll take them,' said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room.**

'**Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?' Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her.**

"Best for them would be let Harry see his letter and answer it."

**Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage.**

'**Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?' Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon.**

"Yes, Ickle Dudleykins' Daddy's gone mad," said Sirius.

**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared.**

**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley sniveled.**

'**It's Monday,' **

"He knows the days of the week!" astonished Sirius.

**he told his mother. 'The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a ****_television_****.'**

**Monday. This reminded Harry of something. **

"What is it?"

**If it ****_was _****Monday — and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television — then tomorrow, Tuesday, **

"Yes, after Monday comes Tuesday, good Harry, you've learned something with those jerks," laughed James.

**was Harry's eleventh birthday.**

"Happy Birthday Harry!"

"What date is it?" Lily asked Hermione

"31st July." Hermione answered smiling, "And Frank, Alice, this Monday was your son's eleventh birthday."

"We have a son?" questioned Alice.

"Yes, his name is Neville, he was a bit clumsy and shy in the first years of Hogwarts, but he became a brave warrior in the end. He's also a great friend."

"Ahh, he got the clumsiness from me I'm afraid," said Alice.

**The couple hugged each other, happy to know they had a son. Hermione decided not to tell about their fate yet, she didn't want to ruin their happiness. Hermione smiled sadly at them. **

**Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun — last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.**

"At least they remembered it's his birthday…" said Sirius sadly.

**Still, you weren't eleven every day.**

"That's true."

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling.**

**He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought.**

'**Found the perfect place!' he said. 'Come on! Everyone out!'**

**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain, there was no television in there.**

'**Storm forecast for tonight!' said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. 'And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!'**

"He thinks no one bothers to bring a letter there… We'll probably send Hagrid, storm won't bother him at all," said Dumbledore smiling.

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them.**

'**I've already got us some rations,' said Uncle Vernon, 'so all aboard!'**

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house.**

**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms.**

**Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four bananas.**

"So Harry got as much food as everyone else, that's good, though there's still not enough food," said Lily.

**He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up.**

'**Could do with some of those letters now, eh?' he said cheerfully.**

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail.**

"Thank Merlin for Magic."

**Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.**

"You'll get your letter, don't worry," smiled James.

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket. **

"That's not fair!" yelled Sirius.

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. **

"Woohoo!" cheered Sirius.

**He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now. **

"She's probably in her office wondering why you don't answer the letters," said Alice.

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did. **

"It's not going to fall in, hopefully," Lily said.

**Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow. **

"Hopefully," James said.

**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? **

**And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea? **

"I solemnly hope not," said Remus.

**One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds… twenty… ten… nine — maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him**—

"Do it!" said Sirius.

**three… two… one…BOOM. **

"You had to yell then?" Lily said holding his ears.

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

"That's the end of this chapter," James informed.

"I'll read now," said Sirius.

"Are you sure you can do it?" asked Remus.

"Of course. Chapter four:**The Keeper of the Keys."**


	5. The Keeper of the Keys

**A/N: Sorry, it has been a couple of days between updates, but I really haven't had time. But here we are now. :) **

**Disclaimer: The text on bold is written by our queen, J.K. Rowling.**

**Chapter Five: The Keeper of the Keys**

**"The Keeper of the Keys"**

"HAGRID!" yelled Sirius.

**BOOM.**

"Padfoot, you don't have to shout!" James said.

"You shouted too, my dear Prongsie," Sirius noted.

**They knocked again. **

"Ohh, who do you think it is?" wondered Sirius.

"It's Hagrid, you know it yourself Black, and stop interrupting yourself or we'll never get through this chapter," Lily said.

"Back to last name basis are we now, Evans?"

"Yes we are."

**Dudley jerked awake.**

"Who wouldn't wake up to Hagrid's knocking?" said Sirius.

"Seriously Black, now would you please stop?" Lily said looking quite annoyed.

"Mm, my middle name is not Lee, it's Orion, but I quite like the sound of Lee. Maybe I could somehow change it," Sirius pondered.

"You know what I meant, and that pun is not fun," said Lily.

'**Where's the cannon?' he said stupidly.**

"What's a cannon?" Sirius asked.

"Cannon is a big Muggle weapon that shoots cannon balls about the size of a bludger. It's used in wars to destroy the buildings behind which the enemy could hide," Hermione explained.

"Oh, thanks babe," Sirius smiled.

"I'm still not your babe," Hermione said.

"You forgot one word," Sirius notified.

"Which one?" Hermione wondered.

"Yet," Sirius said earning a hit from a pillow.

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands –**

"What's a rifle?" asked Sirius.

"It's a Muggle firearm," informed Lily.

**now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them.**

'**Who's there?' he shouted. 'I warn you — I'm armed!'**

"And legged too, hopefully." said Sirius.

"And torsoed," continued James.

"And headed," said Remus.

"And ass-" started Sirius.

"Boys, would you please stop. And Mr. Black, 10 points from Gryffindor for inappropriate language," Minerva said.

**There was a pause. Then —**

"This is exciting," said Sirius.

**SMASH!**

"This wasn't a good chapter for Sirius to read…" Alice whispered to Frank.

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor. A giant **

"Hagrid's not a giant, he's only half!" shouted Sirius.

"I think he was the biggest man Harry ever saw," Lily noted.

**of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.**

"Harry pays too much attention to people's appearances…" said Lily.

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.**

'**Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey…'**

"So Hagrid," laughed Frank.

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.**

"Ickle Dudleykins's terrified," said Sirius.

'**Budge up, yeh great lump,' said the stranger.**

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother,**

"What would that help? He'll be seen anyway," wondered Lily.

**who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.**

"Ahh."

'**An' here's Harry!' said the giant.** **Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.**

"Yeah, Hagrid's not bad at all."

'**Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby,' said the giant. 'Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mom's eyes.'**

"After that everyone started saying that to him. He got bit annoyed after a while, and started interrupting. When someone said 'You're just like your father, except your eyes, you have-' he said 'Yeah my mother's eyes.'" Hermione said.

"I understand him. When the people would meet him for the first time, they have expectations of his looks. They have to say it to him out loud that they knew his parents," smiled James.

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.**

'**I demand that you leave at once, sir!' he said. 'You are breaking and entering!'**

"Who cares, it's Hagrid!" cheered Sirius.

'**Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune,' said the giant; he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber,**

"Dursley must have liked that," laughed Sirius.

**and threw it into a corner of the room.** **Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.**

'**Anyway — Harry,' said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, 'a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here — I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right.'**

"Whatever it is, it's probably not good, if Hagrid made it", said Sirius.

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with ****_Happy Birthday Harry _****written on it in green icing.**

"That's lovely of Hagrid," smiled Lily.

**Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, 'Who are you?'**

Sirius and James chuckled.

**The giant chuckled.**

'**True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.'**

"Harry doesn't know about Hogwarts though," said Sirius smiling sadly.

**He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.**

"I remember when I first met Hagrid, it felt like my arm was gonna go off," said James laughing.

'**What about that tea then, eh?' he said, rubbing his hands together. 'I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind.'**

"Hagrid! You're not supposed to drink while on duty!" Minerva disapproved.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there. **

"He still uses the pieces of his wand it seems," chuckled Dumbledore.

**It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath.**

"Ahh, sounds so good. I'd need a hot bath," said Lily smiling.

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea. **

"He has too much stuff in his pockets… I don't understand how he can find what he needs," Lily noted.

**Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, 'Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley.'**

"Like he'd need any more fattening," Sirius chuckled.

**The giant chuckled darkly.**

'**Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry.'**

**He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, 'I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are.'**

"At least he was polite this time," said Lily.

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.**

'**Call me Hagrid,' he said, 'everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts — yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.'**

"No he doesn't," James said sadly.

'**Er — no,' said Harry.** **Hagrid looked shocked.**

'**Sorry,' Harry said quickly.**

"Harry has nothing to apologize for! It should be the Dursleys apologizing!" said Minerva.

'**_Sorry_****?' barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. 'It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?'**

'**All what?' asked Harry.**

"Hagrid's not gonna like that," Sirius stated.

'**ALL WHAT?' Hagrid thundered.**

"Umm, thanks Sirius," said Hermione rubbing her left ear.

'**Now wait jus' one second!'**

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.**

'**Do you mean ter tell me,' he growled at the Dursleys, 'that this boy — this boy! — knows nothin' abou' — about ANYTHING?'**

"Okay Sirius, please would you stop shouting?" asked Hermione.

"But it was on capital letters!" protested Sirius.

**Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after all, and his marks weren't bad.**

'**I know ****_some _****things,' he said. 'I can, you know, do math and stuff.'**

Everyone chuckled.

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, 'About ****_our _****world, I mean. ****_Your _****world. ****_My _****world. ****_Yer parents' world_****.'**

'**What world?'**

"The wizarding world!" cheered Sirius.

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.**

'**DURSLEY!' he boomed.**

"Okay, who wants to change places with me?" Hermione asked.

No one volunteered.

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like 'Mimblewimble.'**

**Hagrid stared wildly at Harry. 'But yeh must know about yer mom and dad,' he said. 'I mean, they're ****_famous_****. **

"We're famous?" asked James.

"Must be a dream come true," Lily said to him laughing.

**You're ****_famous_****.'**

'**What? My — my mum and dad weren't famous, were they?'**

'**Yeh don' know… yeh don' know…' Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.**

'**Yeh don' know what yeh ****_are_****?' he said finally.**

"That sounds a bit offensive, I wouldn't like that…" said Sirius.

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.**

'**Stop!' he commanded. 'Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!'**

"Like he could stop Hagrid," Sirius noted.

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.**

'**You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?'**

'**Kept ****_what _****from me?' said Harry eagerly.**

'**STOP! I FORBID YOU!' yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.**

"Sirius seriously stop it now!" said Hermione.

"My name's not Sirius Sirius Lee though. One time Sirius is enough. And the middle name's sadly not Lee…"

"THAT PUN IS NOT FUN SO COULD YOU STOP USING IT?" shouted Hermione.

"Wow, you're hot when you shout," said Sirius earning a stern look from Hermione.

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.**

'**Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh,' said Hagrid.**

"Good idea."

**'Harry — yer a wizard.'**

"Tan tan tan," said Sirius dramatically.

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.**

"Dramatic effects," laughed Sirius.

'**I'm a ****_what_****?' gasped Harry.**

"And the big reaction," laughed James.

'**A wizard, o' course,' said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, 'an' a thumpin' good 'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter.'**

"Finally!" smiled Lily.

**Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to ****_Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. _****He pulled out the letter and read:**

**_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_**

**_Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_**

"Order of Merlin, First class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards," James enumerated.

**_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_**

**_Dear Mr. Potter,_**

"This is weird. It's probably identical to my first letter!" astonished James.

**_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._**

**_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._**

**_Yours sincerely,_**

**_Minerva McGonagall,_**

**_Deputy Headmistress_**

**Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, 'What does it mean, they await my owl?'**

"That's the first thing he asked?" breathed Sirius.

"It was the last thing he read, that's why," said Hermione.

'**Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me,' said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl — a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl**— **a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down:**

"He can read Hagrid's reading upside down? Impressive," said Sirius.

**_Dear Professor Dumbledore,_**

**_Given Harry his letter._**

**_Taking him to buy his things tomorrow._**

**_Weather's horrible. Hope you're well._**

**_Hagrid_**

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.**

"It is."

**Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.**

Everyone laughed.

'**Where was I?' said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.**

'**He's not going,' he said.**

"I'd like to see a great Muggle like him stop Harry," said Frank.

**Hagrid grunted.**

'**I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him,' he said.**

'**A what?' said Harry, interested.**

"Nonmagic folk," informed Lily.

"We all know that Lils," laughed James.

"Oh shut up."

'**A Muggle,' said Hagrid, 'it's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on.'**

'**We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish,' said Uncle Vernon, 'swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!'**

'**You ****_knew_****?' said Harry. 'You ****_knew _****I'm a — a wizard?'**

"Of course they knew, Petunia being my sister and all.." said Lily.

'**Knew!' shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. '****_Knew_****! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that — that ****_school _****— and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats.** **I was the only one who saw her for what she was — a freak!**

"Lily's not a freak, she's an amazing, beautiful, gorgeous girl whom I love," said James.

Those words made Lily blush.

**But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!'**

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.**

'**Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as — as —****_abnormal _**— **and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!'**

"We didn't blow up, and didn't she say we died in a car crash?!" shouted James.

**Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, 'Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!'**

"That's what I thought!"

'**CAR CRASH!' roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. 'How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!'**

"My sentiments exactly," Sirius agreed.

'**But why? What happened' Harry asked urgently.**

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.**

'**I never expected this,' he said, in a low, worried voice. 'I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh — but someone's gotta — yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'.'**

"That's true, it would've been a scandal if he didn't know", said Hermione.

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys.**

'**Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh — mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it…'**

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, 'It begins, I suppose, with — with a person called — but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows —'**

"Voldemort", said Hermione gloomily.

"You say his name?"

"Of course I do. The fear of the name only increases the fear of the creature itself. And I've met him."

"You met Voldemort?"

"Yes, several times."

"Woah."

'**Who?'**

'**Well — I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does.'**

'**Why not?'**

'**Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went… bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was…'**

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.**

'**Could you write it down?' Harry suggested.**

'**Nah — can't spell it. All right —****_Voldemort._**

"Harry got him say his name," Frank astonished.

**Hagrid shuddered. 'Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this — this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too — some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches… terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him — an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.'**

"Yeah, not then," Hermione said gloomily.

"He tried in your time?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah."

Sirius glanced at Dumbledore so that only Hermione saw. When Sirius looked back at the girl she nodded sadly. It was like there was a telepathic connection between them.

'**Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day!**

"True that," James said showing his mark.

**Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before… probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.**

**Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em… maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' — an' —'**

Everyone listened silently, wanting to hear the story of that night.

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.**

'**Sorry,' he said. 'But it's that sad — knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find — anywa…**

**You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then — an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing — he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then.**

**But he couldn't do it.**

**Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh — took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even — but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry.**

**No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age — the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts **— **an' you was only a baby, an' you lived.'**

Everyone was crying or just sitting sadly. No one talked for a moment, and then;

"Which Prewetts?" Alice asked.

"Fabian and Gideon."

"Oh dear," Alice said before bursting back to tears.

**Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before — and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel laugh.**

"He remembers Voldemort's laugh, that's not good. He shouldn't be able to remember things from that time, he was only one year old. People shouldn't be able to remember anything from their first three living years," noted Lily.

**Hagrid was watching him sadly.**

'**Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot….'**

'**Load of old tosh,' said Uncle Vernon. **

"I forgot he was there," said James.

**Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there.**

"Like father like son," Sirius laughed half-heartedly.

**Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched.**

'**Now, you listen here, boy,' he snarled, 'I accept there's something strange about you,** **probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured**

"Beating cures nothing," said Minerva, "It only brings more problems."

—**and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes,**

"Lily an' James aren't weirdoes, they're amazing!" Sirius defended.

**No denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion **—**asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types — just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end –'**

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat.**

"Oh oh," said Frank laughing.

**Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, 'I'm warning you, Dursley — I'm warning you — one more word…'**

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.**

"Umbrellas are very scary," laughed Remus.

'**That's better,' said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.**

**Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.**

"Who wouldn't have?" asked James.

'**But what happened to Vol-, sorry — I mean, You-Know-Who?'**

'**Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see… he was gettin' more an' more powerful — why'd he go?** **Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die.**

_That's a damn good guess, _Hermione thought, thinking of the horcruxes.

**Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back. Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on — ****_I _****dunno what it was, no one does **— **but somethin' about you stumped him, all right.'**

**Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? **

"Easily." said James smiling.

**He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? **

"It doesn't work quite like that Prongsie jr." said Sirius.

"Why's he Prongsie jr? You have to think of something a little bit more original." said James.

"We don't know what his… Patronus is. I just thought that 'till we know, he can be Prongsie Jr."

**If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football?** '**Hagrid,' he said quietly, 'I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard.'**

**To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.**

'**Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?'**

**Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it… every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry… chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach… dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back… and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa constrictor on him?**

"Actually he just vanished the glass", Frank noted.

**Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him.**

'**See?' said Hagrid. 'Harry Potter, not a wizard — you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts.'**

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.** '**Haven't I told you he's not going?' he hissed. 'He's going to Stonewall High**

"No, he's going to Hogwarts, you idiot Muggle." said Sirius.

** and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish — spell books and wands and —'**

'**If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him,' **

"Exactly."

**growled Hagrid. 'Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born.**

**He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled—'**

'**I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!' yelled Uncle Vernon.**

"Ouch," said Hermione rubbing her ear.

"Hagrid's not gonna like that," said Frank.

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, 'NEVER —" he thundered, "— INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE — IN — FRONT — OF — ME!'"**

Hermione moved further away from Sirius holding her ears.

**He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley — there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.**

Everyone started laughing.

"That – was – great," breathed Sirius.

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.**

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.**

'**Shouldn'ta lost me temper,' he said ruefully, 'but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do.'**

"Well he indeed is a pig." said Alice.

**He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.**

'**Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts'" he said. 'I'm — er — not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff — one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job.'**

'**Why aren't you supposed to do magic?' asked Harry.**

"Harry! You can't just ask people why they aren't supposed to do magic!" Lily upbraided.

'**Oh, well — I was at Hogwarts meself but I — er — got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore.'**

'**Why were you expelled?'**

"He won't tell. He doesn't tell anyone." said Frank.

"I know why," said Hermione, "And I'm not gonna tell you now," she added when Sirius looked like he was going to ask.

'**It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow,' said Hagrid loudly. 'Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that.'**

**He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.**

'**You can kip under that,' **

"That's friendly of him," Lily smiled.

**he said. 'Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' doormice in one o' the pockets.'**

"And that's the end of the chapter," said Sirius.

"Do you think that one more chapter and then dinner?" Lily asked.

"Sounds good."

"I can read now", Dumbledore volunteered,** "Diagon Alley"**


	6. Diagon Alley

**A/N: Hey! This is chapter six, I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**Chapter six: Diagon Alley**

**"Diagon Alley"**

"We don't have to stand the Dursleys anymore!" Sirius cheered.

**Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.**

"Why'd he do that?" James wondered.

**_It was a dream, _**

"No, it wasn't," said Sirius.

**he told himself firmly. ****_I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard._**

"Wrong, you're going to wake up in the horrible shack with Hagrid's coat on you," James informed.

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.**

**_And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door_****, Harry thought, his heart sinking.**

"No, it probably isn't 'Tuney, Harry. It might be an owl bringing Hagrid the Prophet," Lily said.

**But he still didn't open his eyes. It had been such a good dream.**

"It wasn't a dream Prongsie Jr!" Sirius said.

**Tap. Tap. Tap.**

'**All right,' Harry mumbled, 'I'm getting up.'**

**He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him. **

"It wasn't a dream! It wasn't a dream!" Sirius cheered.

"Everyone knew it wasn't a dream, Sirius," said James.

"Yeah, but I'm allowed to cheer, aren't I?" Sirius protested.

**James rolled his eyes, and nodded to Dumbledore to continue reading.**

**The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.**

**Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside him.** **He went straight to the window and jerked it open.**

**The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.**

"The owl'd better get paid soon, they don't like to be kept waiting," said Remus.

'**Don't do that.'**

"He won't stop before he's gotten his payment," said Frank.

**Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.**

'**Hagrid!' said Harry loudly. 'There's an owl —'**

'**Pay him,' Hagrid grunted into the sofa.**

"He doesn't know how!" Lily said.

'**What?'**

'**He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets.'**

**Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing ****_but _****pockets —**

"That's so true!" said James.

** bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags… finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.**

'**Give him five Knuts,' said Hagrid sleepily.**

"He doesn't know which are knuts, he's lived with Muggles most his life," said Lily sadly.

'**Knuts?'**

'**The little bronze ones.'**

**Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window. Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.** '**Best be off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school.'**

**Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon inside him had got a puncture.**

'**Um — Hagrid?'**

'**Mm?' said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.**

'**I haven't got any money — and you heard Uncle Vernon last night… he won't pay for me to go and learn magic.'**

"Did he think we left him nothing? I'm from one of the richest wizarding families there is, and I don't think I'll spend it all in three years," James said.

"Big Head," Lily muttered.

'**Don't worry about that,' said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. 'D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?'**

'**But if their house was destroyed —'**

"We don't keep our money in the house!" said James.

'**They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold — an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither.'**

'**Wizards have ****_banks_****?'**

"It was weird for me too," said Hermione, "I never thought that there'd be banks, it's sort of weird how close Muggles and Wizards really are."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you are a Muggleborn too," Lily said.

"And I have an eternal reminder of it in my arm," Hermione said lifting her sleeve so that everyone could see the scar. There was a loud gasp.

"Merlin's beard 'Mione, who did this to you?" Sirius asked shocked.

"Well, if you don't want to wait 'till the seventh book, maybe I should tell…"

"We're definitely not waiting 'till seventh book!" said Sirius.

"Okay, Sirius, it was your "dearest" cousin who did it. She was trying to get information from me."

"Bellatrix Black?" asked Frank.

"She was a Lestrange then, but same person."

"So she got married to that Death Eater then," said Sirius looking angry.

"I believe she was herself more loyal to Voldemort than her husband," Hermione noted.

"Was?" Sirius asked.

"Damn, I shouldn't have said that."

"Tell me, please 'Mione," Sirius pleaded.

"Okay, she was killed quite soon after she gave me this scar. I'm not going to tell you any more, ok?"

"Ok," Sirius pouted.

'**Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins.'**

**Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding.**

'**_Goblins_****?'**

'**Yeah — so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry.**

Hermione looked down guiltily, but thankfully no one noticed.

**Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe — 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business.' Hagrid drew himself up proudly. 'He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you — gettin' things from Gringotts — knows he can trust me, see.'**

"Who wouldn't trust Hagrid?" asked Alice.

'**Got everythin'? Come on, then.' Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.**

'**How did you get here?' Harry asked, looking around for another boat.**

'**Flew,' said Hagrid.**

"Flew?" wondered James.

'**_Flew_****?'**

'**Yeah — but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh.'**

**They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying.**

"Hard to imagine, yes," said Frank his eyes closed trying to imagine Hagrid on a broomstick.

"He probably used a thestral," said Hermione.

"A what?" asked Lily.

"The animal that pulls the school carriages," Hermione informed.

"But nothing pulls the carriages," Lily protested.

"That's what you think, and you should be happy that you don't see them," Hermione said, "Thestrals are creatures that are often misunderstood. People think they bring bad luck. It's because of the reason why some people see them, and most don't. Thestrals are only seen by people who've seen death. They're great animals, good navigators, and when trained very nice to people. Hagrid has trained them pretty well here."

"You can see them?" asked James.

"Yes, and so can Harry. Harry saw them before any of us, and when he asked us what are those creatures pulling the carriages we were confused, because we didn't see them." Hermione said.

'**Seems a shame ter row, though,' said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. 'If I was ter — er — speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?'**

"Hagrid loves to use magic, even if he isn't allowed," Lily laughed.

'**Of course not,' said Harry, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land.**

'**Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?' Harry asked.**

"Spells – enchantments, dragons guarding the high security vaults," said Hermione looking guilty.

'**Spells — enchantments,' said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. 'They say there's dragons guardin' the high security vaults.** **And then yeh gotta find yer way — Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat.'**

**Hermione smiled to herself thinking of how they got out of there.**

**Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the ****_Daily Prophet_****. Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, he'd never had so many questions in his life.**

"I know the feeling," laughed Hermione.

'**Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual,' Hagrid muttered, turning the page.**

'**There's a Ministry of Magic?' Harry asked, before he could stop himself.**

"Of course there is, I don't know if they're to be trusted though.." said Sirius.

"Definitely not," Hermione slipped.

"Oh. They messed up then, did they?" Sirius asked.

"Completely. Fifth book," said Hermione.

'**Course,' said Hagrid. 'They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice.'**

'**But what does a Ministry of Magic ****_do_****?'**

'**Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country.'**

'**Why?'**

"Everyone would want magical solutions to their problems," Lily answered.

'**_Why? _****Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone.'**

**At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street.**

**Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, 'See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?'**

'**Hagrid,' said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, 'did you say there are ****_dragons _****at Gringotts?'**

"Yes," said Hermione smiling guiltily.

"Hermione, please say you didn't try to rob Gringotts," Lily said worriedly.

"We didn't try, we succeeded. But you'll have to wait 'till the seventh book for the story."

"You succeeded?" astonished Sirius.

"Yes."

'**Well, so they say,' said Hagrid. 'Crikey, I'd like a dragon.'**

Hermione shaked her head thinking of Norbert. It definitely wasn't a lovely pet for Hagrid.

'**You'd ****_like _****one?'**

'**Wanted one ever since I was a kid — here we go.'**

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand 'Muggle money,' as he called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets.**

"It isn't that hard really," said Lily.

**People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.**

'**Still got yer letter, Harry?' he asked as he counted stitches.**

**Harry took the parchment envelope out of his pocket.**

'**Good,' said Hagrid. 'There's a list there of everything yeh need.'**

**Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read:**

**_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_**

**_UNIFORM_**

**_First-year students will require:_**

**_1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_**

**_2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_**

**_3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_**

**_4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)_**

**_Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags_**

**_COURSE BOOKS_**

**_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_**

**_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)by Miranda Goshawk_**

**_A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_**

**_Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_**

**_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_**

**_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_**

**_Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_**

**_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_**

**_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_**

"Basically the same books we had our first year," said Lily.

"You can't honestly remember which books we had first year Lils," James stated.

"But I do."

**_OTHER EQUIPMENT_**

**_1 wand_**

**_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_**

**_1 set of glass or crystal phials_**

**_1 telescope set_**

**_1 brass scales_**

**_Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad_**

**_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS_**

"Does Harry play Quidditch?" James asked.

"Not at all, he doesn't like it," Hermione lied.

"My son doesn't like Quidditch? This is a scandal!" James said shocked.

'**Can we buy all this in London?' Harry wondered aloud.**

"If you know where to go," said Lily smiling.

'**If yeh know where to go,' said Hagrid.**

**Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.**

'**I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic' he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops.**

**Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up?**

"Ahh, Harry, you forgot that they don't approve of imagination," Sirius said.

**If Harry hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humor, **

"Ahh, he didn't forget," said Sirius proudly.

**he might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him.**

"Hagrid has that effect in him," Alice said.

'**This is it,' said Hagrid, coming to a halt, 'the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place.'**

**It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it.**

"That's because it's true. Muggles can't see it," Remus informed.

**Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside.**

**For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, 'The usual, Hagrid?'**

"He can't, he's with Harry!" protested Lily.

'**Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business,' **

"Thank Godric Hagrid had some sense this time," Lily sighed.

**said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.**

'**Good Lord,' said the bartender, peering at Harry, 'is this — can this be —?'**

"And it starts," said Hermione.

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.**

"Harry has that effect. Especially during first year," said Hermione.

'**Bless my soul,' whispered the old bartender, 'Harry Potter… what an honor.'**

**He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.**

'**Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back.'**

**Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. **

"He must've hated that. He didn't like being famous, he wanted some peace around himself," Hermione informed the others.

**The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming.**

**Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.**

'**Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last.'**

'**So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud.'**

'**Always wanted to shake your hand — I'm all of a flutter.'**

'**Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle.'**

'**I've seen you before!' said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. 'You bowed to me once in a shop.'**

'**He remembers!' cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. 'Did you hear that? He remembers me!' Harry shook hands again and again — Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.** **A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.**

"Oh no," Hermione muttered.

'**Professor Quirrell!' said Hagrid.**

**'Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts.'**

'**P-P-Potter,' stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, 'c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you.'**

'**What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?'**

'**D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts,' muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it.**

"He was quite scared of his own subject. Or so it seemed at least," Hermione said.

"So it seemed?" Sirius asked.

"You'll find out in the end of this book," Hermione stated.

'**N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?' He laughed nervously. 'You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself.' He looked terrified at the very thought.**

"Good acting," Hermione muttered so quietly that no one heard.

**But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.**

'**Must get on — lots ter buy. Come on, Harry.'**

**Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.**

**Hagrid grinned at Harry.**

'**Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh — mind you, he's usually tremblin'.'**

'**Is he always that nervous?'**

'**Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience… **

"And met Voldemort," Hermione muttered.

**They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag — never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject —now, where's me umbrella?'**

**Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming. **

"That must be confusing in so short time to hear that all sorts of fairytale creatures are true. I had loads of time to get used to the idea of magic before I stepped into the magical world," Lily said.

**Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.**

'**Three up… two across…' he muttered. 'Right, stand back, Harry.'**

**He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.**

**The brick he had touched quivered — it wriggled — in the middle, a small hole appeared — it grew wider and wider — a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.**

"Welcome to Diagon Alley Harry!" cheered Sirius.

'**Welcome,' said Hagrid, 'to Diagon Alley.'**

**He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.**

**The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons — All Sizes — Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver — Self-Stirring — Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.**

'**Yeah, you'll be needin' one,' said Hagrid, 'but we gotta get yer money first.'**

**Harry wished he had about eight more eyes.**

"There's loads to see that's true," laughed James.

**He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, 'Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they're mad…'**

Hermione smiled thinking the woman probably was Molly Weasley, a great second mother figure for her.

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium — Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. 'Look,' Harry heard one of them say, 'the new Nimbus Two Thousand — fastest ever —'**

"Nimbus two thousand? We only got Nimbus 1500 now," James said, "Are you sure Harry doesn't like Quidditch?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Hermione lied again.

**James looked very disappointed.**

**There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon…**

'**Gringotts,' said Hagrid.**

**They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was —**

'**Yeah, that's a goblin,' said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:**

"I love the poem," said Lily.

**_Enter, stranger, but take heed_**

**_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_**

**_For those who take, but do not earn,_**

**_Must pay most dearly in their turn._**

**_So if you seek beneath our floors_**

**_A treasure that was never yours,_**

**_Thief, you have been warned, beware_**

**_Of finding more than treasure there._**

'**Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it,' said Hagrid.**

"Yeah, we were mad," said Hermione, "But we had a good reason."

**A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter.**

'**Morning,' said Hagrid to a free goblin. 'We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe.'**

'**You have his key, sir?'**

'**Got it here somewhere,' said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals.**

'**Got it,' said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.**

**The goblin looked at it closely.**

'**That seems to be in order.'**

'**An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore,' said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. 'It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen.'**

"What's in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Sirius asked.

"You'll see," Hermione answered.

**The goblin read the letter carefully.**

'**Very well,' he said, handing it back to Hagrid, 'I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!'**

**Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall.**

'**What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?' Harry asked.**

Sirius got up eager to hear the answer.

'**Can't tell yeh that,' **

He slumped back to the sofa looking disappointed.

**said Hagrid mysteriously. 'Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that.'**

**Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in — Hagrid with some difficulty — and were off.**

**At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible.**

"He kept up quite long," Frank astonished, "I get messed up after third turn."

**The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering.** **Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late **— **they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.**

'**I never know,' Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, 'what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?'**

"Stalactites are coming from the roof and stalagmite from the floor," Lily informed.

'**Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it,' **

"Or that," laughed James.

**said Hagrid.** '**An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick.'**

**He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling.**

**Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.**

"Wow, you really are rich, aren't you?" Lily asked.

"Well, maybe a little," James said.

'**All yours,' smiled Hagrid.**

**All Harry's — it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking. How often had they complained how much Harry cost them to keep? And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to him, **

"Small fortune?" James wondered.

"Oh that's only a small fraction of the money you left him. That's the vault for Harry's education, he got the key of the family vault when he was seventeen," explained Hermione.

**buried deep under London. Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.**

'**The gold ones are Galleons,' he explained. 'Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh.'**

**He turned to Griphook. 'Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?'**

"One speed only," said Frank, "I have asked that too."

'**One speed only,' said Griphook.**

**They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck.** **Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.**

"Must be a high security vault," said Frank.

'**Stand back,' said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.**

'**If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there,' said Griphook.**

'**How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?' Harry asked.**

'**About once every ten years,' said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.**

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure, and he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least **— **but at first he thought it was empty. Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor.**

Dumbledore stopped reading. He checked the cover of the book and realization hit him. He looked at Hermione who seemed to have realized the old man's thoughts and nodded to him. Everyone else looked at the silent exchange confused.

**Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.**

'**Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut,' said Hagrid.**

**One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money. He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life — more money than even Dudley had ever had.**

'**Might as well get yer uniform,' said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. 'Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? **

"He can't drink on duty, something must be done to that Albus," Minerva said.

**I hate them Gringotts carts.'**

**He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.**

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.**

'**Hogwarts, dear?' she said, when Harry started to speak. 'Got the lot here — another young man being fitted up just now, in fact.'**

"Yei, he might get a friend!" cheered Sirius.

"Or not," Hermione muttered knowing who the young man was.

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes.**

**Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.**

'**Hello,' said the boy, 'Hogwarts, too?'**

'**Yes,' said Harry.**

'**My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands,' said the boy.**

"Why'd she look for wands? The wand chooses the wizard, he'd need to be with her," said Lily.

**He had a bored, drawling voice. 'Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow.'**

"He doesn't sound fun at all," said James.

"Trust me, he isn't," said Hermione.

**Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.**

'**Have ****_you _****got your own broom?' the boy went on.**

'**No,' said Harry.**

'**Play Quidditch at all?'**

'**No,' Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.**

"He doesn't know what Quidditch is? It's a scandal!" pouted James.

'**_I _****do — Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?'**

"No one really knows," said Frank.

'**No,' said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.**

'**Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, **

"Okay, he's not gonna be Harry's friend," said Sirius.

**all our family have been — imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?'**

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said James.

'**Mmm,' said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting.**

**'I say, look at that man!' said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.**

'**That's Hagrid,' said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't. 'He works at Hogwarts.'**

'**Oh,' said the boy, 'I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?'**

"No, he's the gamekeeper," said James.

'**He's the gamekeeper,' said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second.**

'**Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of ****_savage _**— **lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed.'**

"Hagrid's better than him," said Sirius.

'**I think he's brilliant,' said Harry coldly.**

'**_Do _****you?' said the boy, with a slight sneer. 'Why is he with you? Where are your parents?'**

"Dead," breathed Lily sadly.

'**They're dead,' said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.**

'**Oh, sorry,' said the other, not sounding sorry at all.**

'**But they were ****_our _****kind, weren't they?'**

"I hate him. He's probably related to me though," Sirius said looking at Hermione inquiring.

"He's son of your cousin Narcissa," Hermione answered.

"With Lucius Malfoy I expect," he said.

"Yes. His name is Draco Malfoy."

'**They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean.'**

'**I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you?**

"There's nothing wrong with Muggleborns!" Sirius pouted wrapping his arm around Hermione. She looked at him confused, but didn't shake him off making him smile.

**They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families.** **What's your surname, anyway?'**

**But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, 'That's you done, my dear,' and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.**

'**Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose,' said the drawling boy.**

"Unfortunately," said Hermione.

**Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).**

'**What's up?' said Hagrid.**

'**Nothing,' Harry lied.**

**They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, 'Hagrid, what's Quidditch?'**

"The greatest game ever!" cheered Sirius.

'**Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know — not knowin' about Quidditch!'**

"That would make him feel only worse," said Lily.

'**Don't make me feel worse,' said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's.**

'— **and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in —'**

'**Yer not ****_from _****a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh ****_were _**— **he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles — look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!'**

"Exactly," said James.

'**So what ****_is _****Quidditch?'**

'**It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like football in the Muggle world — everyone follows Quidditch — played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls — sorta hard ter explain the rules.'**

"No it isn't," James pouted.

'**And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?'**

'**School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but —'**

'**I bet I'm in Hufflepuff,' said Harry gloomily.**

"No, you'll be a Gryffindor, like all Potters for centuries," said James.

'**Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin,' said Hagrid darkly. 'There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. **

"That's a bit of overstatement," said Hermione thinking of Pettigrew.

**You-Know-Who was one.'**

'**Vol-, sorry —You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?'**

"Yes, he was. He was known as Tom Riddle then though," said Dumbledore.

'**Years an' years ago,' said Hagrid.**

**They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from ****_Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) _****by Professor Vindictus Viridian.**

'**I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley.'**

"You're not allowed to do magic home," said Lily.

'**I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances,' said Hagrid. 'An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level.'**

**Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, **

"Ahh, the Potter bigheadism," noted Lily.

**either ('It says pewter on yer list'),** **but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).**

**Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again.**

'**Just yer wand left — A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present.'**

"Aww, how nice of him to buy Harry a present," smiled Lily.

**Harry felt himself go red.**

'**You don't have to —'**

**'I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at**— **an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'.'**

"Owls are great, I'd like a snowy owl," said James.

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, **

"Life's not fair, is it? My son got a snowy owl," pouted James.

**fast asleep with her head under her wing. He couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.**

'**Don' mention it,' said Hagrid gruffly. 'Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now — only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand.'**

**A magic wand… this was what Harry had been really looking forward to.**

"Everyone looks forward to it," said Alice.

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.**

**A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled.**

"It's a scary place…" said Frank.

**The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.**

'**Good afternoon,' said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.**

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.**

'**Hello,' said Harry awkwardly.**

'**Ah yes,' said the man. 'Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter.' It wasn't a question.** **'You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. **

"He seriously remembers each wand he sells," Lily astonished.

**Nice wand for charm work.'**

**Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.**

'**Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. **

"Perfect wand," said James.

**Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course.'**

**Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.**

'**And that's where…'**

"That's creepy. Ollivander's creepy enough from further away, I couldn't stand that," said Alice.

**Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.**

'**I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it,' he said softly. 'Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…'**

**He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.**

'**Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again… Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?'**

'**It was, sir, yes,' said Hagrid.**

'**Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?' said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.**

'**Er — yes, they did, yes,' said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. 'I've still got the pieces, though,' he added brightly.**

"And he still uses them," said Lily.

'**But you don't ****_use _****them?' said Mr. Ollivander sharply.**

"Yes."

'**Oh, no, sir,' said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.**

'**Hmmm,' said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. 'Well, now — Mr. Potter. Let me see.' He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. 'Which is your wand arm?'**

'**Er — well, I'm right-handed,' said Harry.**

"That's exactly what I said. It was so confusing," said Lily.

'**Hold out your arm. That's it.' He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, 'Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand.'**

**Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.**

'**That will do,' he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. 'Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible.**

"Dragon heartstring doesn't sound like Harry," said Remus.

** Just take it and give it a wave.'**

**Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.**

'**Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —'**

"Could be," said Frank.

**Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.**

'**No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out.'**

**Harry tried. And tried. **

"Do you know how many he tried?" asked Sirius.

"He told me he lost count at 37," Hermione answered.

"That's quite a lot," Sirius stated.

**He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.**

'**Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple.'**

**Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers.**

"Finally," said James.

**He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.**

**Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, 'Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…'**

"What's curious?" asked Frank.

**He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, 'Curious… curious…'**

'**Sorry,' said Harry, 'but what's curious?'**

**Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.**

'**I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar.'**

"Oh dear. That might bring some problems," said Dumbledore.

**Harry swallowed.**

'**Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great.'**

**Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.**

**The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap.**

**Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Harry only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder.**

'**Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves,' he said.**

"I'M HUNGRY!" Sirius informed.

"You're always hungry," said James.

**He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.**

'**You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet,' said Hagrid.**

**Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of his life — and yet — he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words.**

'**Everyone thinks I'm special,' he said at last.**

"You are, my dear son," said Lily.

'**All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander… but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry — I mean, the night my parents died.'**

"You just need a little education, Harry," said James.

**Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile.**

'**Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts — I did — still do, 'smatter of fact.'**

**Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, then handed him an envelope.**

'**Yer ticket fer Hogwarts,' he said. 'First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me…. See yeh soon, Harry.'**

"He didn't tell him how to get to the station!" said Lily worried.

**The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

"And that's the end of this chapter," said Dumbledore.

"Now FOOOD!" said Sirius.

Hermione waved her wand towards the refrigerator and lasagna started to cook itself.

Soon they were eating and discussing the events of the book happily. When everyone had finished eating they went back to their seats. Frank volunteered to read.

**"The Journey from Platform Nine and Three Quarters"**


	7. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

**A/N: Sorry it has been a while, I was visiting our Summer Cottage and there was no possibility to publish new chapters... I'm trying to come up with another chapter tomorrow. Well that's all, I hope you like it :)**

**Disclaimer: Text on bold is J.K. Rowling's writing. I also do not own the characters, but our Queen does. **

**Chapter seven**

"**The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters"**

"HARRY'S GOING TO HOGWARTS! HARRY'S GOING TO HOGWARTS!" Sirius sang.

"We all know that Sirius," Lily noted.

Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun.

"Is that somehow surprising? I don't think his any months with the Dursleys have been fun," James said sadly.

**True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard, force him to do anything, or shout at him — in fact, they didn't speak to him at all.**

"I think I'd enjoy that," Sirius said.

**Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry in it were empty.**

"Or not, it'd be frustrating if no one paid attention to me," Sirius then stated.

"Attention-seeking bastard," Lily muttered.

**Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while.**

"That's what I thought," Sirius said.

**Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in ****_A History of Magic_****.**

"I like the name," Lily smiled.

_He read A History of Magic? _Hermione thought surprised.

**His school books were very interesting.**

"Harry, I, as your probable Godfather, am really disappointed in you. School books aren't interesting, especially during summer holiday!" Sirius pouted.

Professor McGonagall looked at him disapprovingly.

**He lay on his bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice.**

**"**She would have loved that," Lily laughed.

**Every night before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.**

"I did that too," Lily said.

**On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day,**

"Good idea," said Frank.

**so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.**

"Poor Ickle Dudleykins," said Sirius.

'**Er — Uncle Vernon?'**

**Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.**

'**Er — I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to — to go to Hogwarts.'**

**Uncle Vernon grunted again.**

'**Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?'**

**Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.**

"Harry speaks troll? That's impressive," Alice laughed.

'**Thank you.'**

**He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.**

"Wow, and Dursley speaks English too?" Alice astonished.

'**Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?'**

"They're illegal mate," Frank stated.

**Harry didn't say anything.**

'**Where is this school, anyway?'**

"Scotland," Lily said.

'**I don't know,' said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.**

'**I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock,' he read.**

**His aunt and uncle stared.**

"Petunia knows very well how to get to the platform!" Lily said.

'**Platform what?'**

"Nine and three quarters."

'**Nine and three-quarters.'**

'**Don't talk rubbish,' **

"He's not talking rubbish at all," Sirius pouted, "you are."

**said Uncle Vernon. 'There is no platform nine and three-quarters.'**

"Ahh, but there is," James said.

'**It's on my ticket.'**

'**Barking,' said Uncle Vernon, 'howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother.'**

"Why are they going to London?" James asked.

'**Why are you going to London?' Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.**

'**Taking Dudley to the hospital,' growled Uncle Vernon. 'Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings.'**

"I forgot about the tail! Think about what the muggle healer will say!" Sirius laughed.

"They're called doctors," Lily informed him.

"Who cares?"

**Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep.**

**He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes — he'd change on the train.**

"Good thinking," Frank approved.

**He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up.**

**Two hours later, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry, and they had set off.**

"They probably gave him money or something," said Lily.

**They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him.**

"That's strange," noted Alice.

**Harry thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead,**

"Wohoo!" cheered James and Sirius.

**facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.**

"Oh."

'**Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine — platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?'**

"Oh, but it is there. Muggles just can't see it," said Remus.

**He was quite right, of course. **

"He's not right," said Sirius.

**There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.**

'**Have a good term,' **

"They're leaving him there? 'Tuney could've just told him how to get to the platform. I guess she doesn't care about me at all. She doesn't care what happens to my son. She wouldn't care if he died," Lily said and started to sob.

James pulled her towards him and hugged her tight. He kissed her temple gently whispering soothing words to her. Soon Lily was a bit better and the reading could continue.

**said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing.**

"That's not fair!" shouted Frank.

**Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone. He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters.**

"The guard would've thought he was mental," Remus noted.

**The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one.**

**In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Harry was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; **

"Oh oh, hope he makes it," Sirius hoped.

**he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.**

**Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do,**

"Yes he did indeed," said Lily sadly, "My baby won't get to Hogwarts at all."

"Don't worry Lily, he'll get to the train," Hermione smiled to her.

** like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.**

"He shouldn't," said Alice.

**At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

'— **packed with Muggles, of course —'**

"Wizards! Perfect!" said Frank happily.

**Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair.**

"Could that be Molly and her children? She has three children now, and she's pregnant with twins. There could be four of them going to school then," Alice said.

"Yes, that's Molly Weasley," Hermione confirmed.

**Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him — and they had an ****_owl_****.**

**Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying.**

'**Now, what's the platform number?' **

"Why'd they ask that? Of course they know it!" said Sirius.

**said the boys' mother.**

'**Nine and three-quarters!' piped a small girl, **

"So there's a girl too?" asked Alice.

"Yes, she's Ginny. She's one year younger than we are," Hermione told them.

**also red-headed, **

James looked at Hermione, asking a wordless question by raising an eyebrow. Hermione nodded smiling. James grinned.

**who was holding her hand, 'Mum, can't I go…'**

'**You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first.'**

"Percy is the youngest now," Alice said.

**What looked like the oldest boy**

"So Bill and Charlie left school already?" asked Alice.

Hermione nodded.

** marched toward platforms nine and ten.**

**Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it — but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, **

"Harry's luck.." said James.

**the boy had vanished.**

"Ohh, It's like Magic, siriusly!" said Sirius.

"Ohh, I'm so impressed," continued James.

"Too bad we can't do that," said Sirius.

"Yes you can boys, and now shut it!" said Lily.

'**Fred, you next,' **

A tear fell on Hermione's cheek thinking of Fred. He was too young to die. Sirius noticed the change in the girl and wrapped his arm around her. Then he quietly whispered to her ear:

"He died didn't he?"

Hermione just nodded sadly. Sirius wiped her tears and squeezed her. Others watched them confusedly.

**the plump woman said.**

'**I'm not Fred, I'm George,' said the boy. **

"Ahh, they must be the twins," said Alice.

**'Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you ****_tell _****I'm George?'**

'**Sorry, George, dear.'**

'**Only joking, I am Fred,' **

"I love those twins! They seem like Marauder-material!" Sirius said.

"Ahh, they definitely are," said Hermione winking.

**said the boy, and off he went.**

**His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone — but how had he done it? **

"Magic," Sirius informed.

**Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there — and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.**

**There was nothing else for it.**

'**Excuse me,' Harry said to the plump woman.**

"Good, he asks help," said Lily.

'**Hello, dear,' she said. 'First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too.'**

"A friend!" smiled Sirius, "And he must be great, because he is a Weasley."

**She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.**

Hermione burst out laughing at the description. It was perfect, but extremely hilarious.

'**Yes,' said Harry. 'The thing is — the thing is, I don't know how to —'**

'**How to get onto the platform?' she said kindly, and Harry nodded.**

'**Not to worry,' she said. 'All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron.'**

"She's so friendly," Lily smiled.

"She was like a mother to me and Harry," Hermione smiled.

'**Er — okay,' said Harry.**

**He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid.**

**He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble — leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run — the barrier was coming nearer and nearer — he wouldn't be able to stop — the cart was out of control — he was a foot away — he closed his eyes ready for the crash —**

**It didn't come… he kept on running… he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. **

"The Hogwarts' Express," smiled Alice.

**A sign overhead said ****_Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock_****. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words ****_Platform Nine and Three-Quarters _****on it, He had done it.**

"Hurray!" cheered Sirius.

**Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.**

**The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, 'Gran, I've lost my toad again.'**

Hermione chuckled.

'**Oh, ****_Neville_****,' **

"That's our Neville? Why's he with his Gran?" asked Frank.

"Yes, it's your son. You'll find out in the fourth book," Hermione said smiling sadly.

**he heard the old woman sigh.**

**A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.**

'**Give us a look, Lee, go on.'**

**The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.**

Lily shuddered.

**Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.**

'**Want a hand?' It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.**

"Nice of them to help," James smiled.

'**Yes, please,' Harry panted.**

'**Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!'**

**With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.**

'**Thanks,' said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.**

'**What's that?' said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.**

"Oh dear, that must be frustrating," said Sirius.

'**Blimey,' said the other twin, 'Are you —?'**

"He is," James answered.

'**He is,' said the first twin. 'Aren't you?' he added to Harry.**

'**What?' said Harry.**

"Poor kid's confused," said Sirius.

'**_Harry Potter_****.' chorused the twins.**

'**Oh, him,' **

"Oh him? OH HIM? That's just hilarious," laughed James.

**said Harry.**

'**I mean, yes, I am.'**

**The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.**

'**Fred? George? Are you there?'**

'**Coming, Mum.'**

**With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.**

**Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying.**

"Eavesdropping, he'd make a great Marauder too," said Remus.

**Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.**

'**Ron, you've got something on your nose.'**

**The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.**

"Poor Ron," said Hermione.

'**_Mum_**— **geroff.' He wriggled free.**

'**Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?' said one of the twins.**

"Brilliant," laughed Sirius.

'**Shut up,' said Ron.**

'**Where's Percy?' said their mother.**

'**He's coming now.'**

**The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter ****_P _****on it.**

"Oh dear, a Prefect," Sirius sighed.

'**Can't stay long, Mother,' he said. 'I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —'**

'**Oh, are you a ****_prefect_****, Percy?' said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. 'You should have said something, we had no idea.'**

"He hasn't told them?" asked Lily confusedly.

'**Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it,' said the other twin. 'Once —'**

'**Or twice —'**

'**A minute —'**

'**All summer —'**

James, Sirius, Remus and Frank burst out laughing.

'**Oh, shut up,' said Percy the Prefect.**

"Percy the Prefect!" laughed Sirius.

'**How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?' said one of the twins.**

'**Because he's a ****_prefect_****,' said their mother fondly. 'All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there.'**

**She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.**

'**Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —'**

"Blown up a toilet? We should –" Sirius started.

"Don't even think about it Mr. Black," McGonagall said sternly.

'**Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet.'**

"Poor Molly accidentally giving them advice what to do," said Alice.

'**Great idea though, thanks, Mum.'**

'**It's ****_not funny_****. And look after Ron.'**

'**Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us.'**

'**Shut up,' said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.**

'**Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?'**

"Ah, of course they'd bring that up," said James.

**Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.**

'**You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?'**

'**Who?'**

'**_Harry Potter_****!'**

**Harry heard the little girl's voice.**

'**Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see him, Mum, eh please…'**

"Someone's got a fangirl," laughed James.

'**You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?'**

'**Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there — like lightning.'**

'**Poor ****_dear _**— **no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform.'**

'**Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?'**

"Hopefully not, and they shouldn't ask him," said Lily.

**Their mother suddenly became very stern.**

'**I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school.'**

'**All right, keep your hair on.'**

"Keep your hair on? That's good one," Sirius said seriously.

**A whistle sounded.**

'**Hurry up!' their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.**

'**Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls.'**

'**We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat.'**

Everyone burst out laughing.

'**_George!_**'

'**Only joking, Mom.'**

**The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.**

"It must be awful to be the last one home, I'd hate it," said Alice.

**Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to — but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.**

**The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.**

"He'll get his first friend," smiled Lily.

'**Anyone sitting there?' he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. 'Everywhere else is full.'**

**Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.**

'**Hey, Ron.'**

**The twins were back.**

'**Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there.'**

Lily shuddered.

'**Right,' mumbled Ron.**

'**Harry,' said the other twin, 'did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then.'**

'**Bye,' said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.**

'**Are you really Harry Potter?' Ron blurted out.**

"Not very polite is that?" said James laughing.

**Harry nodded.**

'**Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes,' said Ron. 'And have you really got — you know…'**

**He pointed at Harry's forehead.**

**Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.**

'**So that's where You-Know-Who —?'**

'**Yes,' said Harry, 'but I can't remember it.'**

'**Nothing?' said Ron eagerly.**

'**Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else.'**

'**Wow,' said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.**

'**Are all your family wizards?' asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.**

"That'll be a nice friendship then," laughed Sirius.

'**Er — Yes, I think so,' said Ron. 'I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him.'**

'**So you must know loads of magic already.'**

"Not much more than Harry," said Lily.

**The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.**

"Well I don't think the Weasleys are considered an old wizarding family, 'cause they usually are also rich," said James.

'**I heard you went to live with Muggles,' said Ron. 'What are they like?'**

'**Horrible — well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though.** **Wish I'd had three wizard brothers.'**

'**Five,' said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy.**

'**I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. **

**"**Quidditch captain? I like that guy," said James.

"No surprise there," said Lily.

**Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first.**

"Poor Ron," said Remus.

**You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, **

"That's not good, it won't work perfectly…" said Lily.

**and Percy's old rat.'**

Hermione flinched. Sirius looked at her confusedly.

**Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.**

'**His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff — I mean, I got Scabbers instead.'**

"There's nothing to be embarrassed of," said Lily.

**Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window. Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. **

"That's nice of him," smiled Alice.

**This seemed to cheer Ron up.**

**'and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort **-**'**

**Ron gasped.**

'**What?' said Harry.**

'**_You said You-Know-Who's name!_****'** **said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. 'I'd have thought you, of all people —'**

'**I'm not trying to be ****_brave _****or anything, saying the name,' said Harry, 'I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn… I bet,' he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, 'I bet I'm the worst in the class.'**

"Probably not," said James.

'**You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough.'**

**While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.**

**Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, 'Anything off the cart, dears?'**

"Mm, I feel like a chocolate frog," said Sirius.

"Accio chocolate frog," said Hermione immediately pointing her wand towards the refrigerator. A single chocolate frog arrived to her and he gave it to Sirius.

"Thanks darling," Sirius said and surprisingly Hermione didn't protest him calling her darling. This brought a grin to the boy's face.

**Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.**

**He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry **—

"There isn't any Mars Bars though," said Lily.

**but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.**

**Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.**

'**Hungry, are you?'**

"Yes," said Sirius making Hermione roll her eyes.

'**Starving,' said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.**

**Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, 'She always forgets I don't like corned beef…'**

'**Swap you for one of these,' said Harry, holding up a pasty. 'Go on —'**

'**You don't want this, it's all dry,' said Ron. 'She hasn't got much time,' he added quickly, 'you know, with five of us.'**

'**Go on, have a pasty,' said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).**

'**What are these?' Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.**

"Chocolate frogs, best thing on world," said Remus.

'**They're not ****_really _****frogs, are they?' **

"Of course not, it's just a spell," said Lily.

**He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.**

'**No,' said Ron. 'But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa.'**

'**What?'**

'**Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred,**

"If they are tight on money I don't think they should buy the kids that much chocolate frogs…" said Frank.

** but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy.'**

**Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.**

'**So ****_this _****is Dumbledore!' said Harry.**

'**Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!' said Ron. 'Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —'**

**Harry turned over his card and read:**

**_ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_**

**_CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS_**

**_Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling._**

"The greatest achievement in my life, being on a Chocolate Frog card," Dumbledore said smiling.

**Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.**

'**He's gone!'**

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Sirius.

'**Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day,' said Ron.**

"Sirius found his soulmate," laughed James.

'**He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting.'**

**Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. 'Help yourself,' said Harry. 'But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos.'**

"Do they? They don't move at all?" asked Sirius amazed, "Weird!"

'**Do they? What, they don't move at all?' Ron sounded amazed. '****_Weird!'_**

_"_Definitely soulmates," laughed Hermione.

**Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.**

'**You want to be careful with those,' Ron warned Harry. 'When they say every flavor, they ****_mean _****every flavor — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once.'**

**Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.**

'**Bleaaargh — see? Sprouts.'**

"Sprouts aren't that bad," said Lily.

"Yes they are," said Sirius.

**Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.**

**The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.**

**There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.**

'**Sorry,' he said, 'but have you seen a toad at all?'**

**When they shook their heads, he wailed, 'I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!'**

"Poor Neville," said Hermione.

'**He'll turn up,' said Harry.**

'**Yes,' said the boy miserably. 'Well, if you see him…'**

**He left.**

'**Don't know why he's so bothered,' said Ron. 'If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could.**

"RON! You arse!" Hermione shouted.

**Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk.'**

**The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.**

'**He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference,' said Ron in disgust. 'I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…'**

**He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.**

'**Unicorn hair's nearly poking out.**

"That's not good," said Lily concerned.

** Anyway —'**

**He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.**

"Ahh." said Hermione, "That'd be me."

"Finally," said Sirius.

'**Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one,' she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.**

Sirius looked at Hermione confusedly. Her teeth were straight and normal sized, and her hair was beautifully wavy, not bushy at all. She was beautiful.

'**We've already told him we haven't seen it,' said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.**

'**Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then.'**

**She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.**

'**Er — all right.'**

**He cleared his throat.**

'**Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.'**

Sirius and James burst out laughing.

"I think the twins have fooled him", breathed Sirius.

**He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.**

'**Are you sure that's a real spell?' said the girl. 'Well, it's not very good, is it?**

"You're a know-it-all like Lily aren't you?" asked Sirius.

"Well, I was quite obsessed with being the best in everything, so yeah maybe," said Hermione.

**I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart,**

"Ok, you're worse than Lily-Flower here!" Sirius said astonished.

**of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?'** **She said all this very fast.**

**Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.**

"Of course not, that's Ron, It'd be surprise he studied at all," said Hermione.

'**I'm Ron Weasley,' Ron muttered.**

'**Harry Potter,' said Harry.**

'**Are you really?' said Hermione.**

'**I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in ****_Modern Magical History _****and ****_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts _****and ****_Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_****.'**

"Really? Wow," said James.

'**Am I?' said Harry, feeling dazed.**

'**Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me,' said Hermione. 'Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best;**

"It is the best," said James.

**I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, **

"Yes I was indeed," said Dumbledore.

**but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon.'**

**And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.**

'**Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it,' said Ron.**

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, you're an idiot!" Hermione shouted.

**He threw his wand back into his trunk. **

**'Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud.'**

"Of course he knew," said James, "That makes it great."

'**What house are your brothers in?' asked Harry.**

'**Gryffindor,' said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. 'Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw ****_would _****be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin.'**

"They won't," said James, "He's not Slytherin type at all."

'**That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?'**

'**Yeah,' said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.**

'**You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter,' said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses.**

'**So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?'**

**Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.**

'**Charlie's in Romania studying dragons,**

"Wow, cool," said Sirius.

**and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts,' said Ron.**

'**Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the ****_Daily Prophet_****, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault.'**

"Someone tried to rob Gringotts?" Asked Lily.

**Harry stared.**

'**Really? What happened to them?'**

'**Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it.'**

**Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying 'Voldemort' without worrying.**

'**What's your Quidditch team?' Ron asked.**

"He doesn't know any." said James sadly. "He really doesn't like Quidditch?" he asked again.

"No, he hates flying," Hermione lied fluently.

James looked disappointed.

'**Er — I don't know any.' Harry confessed.**

'**What!' Ron looked dumbfounded. 'Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —' And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.**

"Who is it?" asked Remus.

**Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop.**

"Malfoy," said Sirius.

**He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.**

'**Is it true?' he said. 'They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?'**

"Yes," said James.

'**Yes,' said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.**

"Must be related to Crabbe and Goyle, they were like bodyguards to Lucy," said Sirius.

'**Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle,' **

"Ahh, I was right, of course," said Sirius.

**said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. 'And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.'**

**Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.**

'**Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford.'**

"Weasleys are better than Malfoys," Alice defended.

**He turned back to Harry. 'You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. **

"And Malfoys aren't those," said Sirius.

**You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.'**

"I doubt it," said James.

**He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.**

"Good boy," said Sirius.

'**I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,' he said coolly.**

"Awesome!" Sirius cheered.

**Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.**

'**I'd be careful if I were you, Potter,' he said slowly. 'Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents.'**

"He won't," said James.

**They didn't know what was good for them, either. **

"Yes we do," Lily protested.

**You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you.'**

"Better that than Malfoy," said Sirius.

**Both Harry and Ron stood up.**

'**Say that again,' Ron said, his face as red as his hair.**

'**Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?' Malfoy sneered.**

"If necessary," said James looking angry.

'**Unless you get out now,' said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron.**

'**But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some.'**

"You can't just go and eat someone else's food!" shouted Lily.

**Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell. Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle**—

"Go Scabbers!" cheered Sirius and James.

**Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.**

'**What ****_has _****been going on?' she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.**

'**I think he's been knocked out,' Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. 'No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep.'**

"Pathetic," said James.

**And so he had.**

'**You've met Malfoy before?'**

"Unfortunately," said Frank.

**Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.**

'**I've heard of his family,' said Ron darkly. 'They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side.'**

"Exactly," said Sirius.

**He turned to Hermione. 'Can we help you with something?'**

'**You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!'**

"You were a bit bossy, weren't you?" asked Sirius.

"Maybe a bit," said Hermione shyly.

'**Scabbers has been fighting, not us,' said Ron, scowling at her. 'Would you mind leaving while we change?'**

'**All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors,' said Hermione in a sniffy voice.**

"You were hurt weren't you?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah, I thought they could be my friends…" said Hermione.

"I thought Harry was your friend?" Sirius wondered.

"Not until later, I was very lonely in the beginning.." she said.

"Poor 'Mione," Sirius said kissing her forehead gently making her blush. James grinned at the two.

'**And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?'**

**Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.**

"Harry's finally getting to Hogwarts!" cheered Sirius.

**He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.**

**A voice echoed through the train: 'We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately.'**

**Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.**

**The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: 'Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?'**

"Hagrid's still got that job then? He's the best for that though," said James.

**Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.**

'**C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!'**

**Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.**

'**Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec,' Hagrid called over his shoulder, 'jus' round this bend here.'**

**There was a loud 'Oooooh!'**

**The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.**

"Very beautiful description," Lily smiled.

'**No more'n four to a boat!' Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione.**

'**Everyone in?' shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. 'Right then — FORWARD!'**

**And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.**

'**Heads down!' yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.**

'**Oy, you there! Is this your toad'**

"He found it then," smiled Alice.

** said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.**

'**Trevor!' cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.**

**They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.**

'**Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?'**

"That's nice of Hagrid," smiled Frank.

**Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.**

"That's the end of the chapter," said Frank.

"I'll read now," said Alice, "Chapter seven:**The Sorting Hat"**


	8. The Sorting Hat

**A/N: Sorry, it took much longer than I said, was in no feeling to write and then had no time, but here it is, finally :P Hope you like it. :)**

**Chapter eight: The Sorting Hat**

"**The Sorting Hat"**

"Yei, we're going to find out in which house Harry goes!" Sirius cheered.

**The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.**

"She isn't," said Lily.

'**The firs' years, Professor McGonagall,' said Hagrid.**

'**Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.'**

**She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. **

"But no one would really want it there, would they?" Sirius stated.

**The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.**

"He's so good at describing things…" Alice sighed.

**They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, **

"And it was a small year too," Hermione said, "There was only 28 of us."

"28? There's about fifty of us!" Frank astonished.

**peering about nervously.**

'**Welcome to Hogwarts,' said Professor McGonagall. 'The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts.**

"It definitely is. There's always someone to talk to, always someone who can help you with homework, always someone who you can trust with your secrets," Alice smiled.

**You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.**

**The four houses are called Gryffindor, **

James and Sirius cheered.

**Hufflepuff, **

They clapped politely.

**Ravenclaw, **

They clapped.

**and Slytherin. **

Sirius and James booed.

**Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points.**

"But if you do it in a funny way, it's fun to lose points," Sirius said.

**At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.**

**The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.'**

**Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, **

"Just like his mother then," Frank laughed earning a stern look from his future wife.

**and on Ron's smudged nose. **

**Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.**

"Not going to wo-ork," said Sirius.

'**I shall return when we are ready for you,' said Professor McGonagall. 'Please wait quietly.'**

**She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.**

'**How exactly do they sort us into houses?' he asked Ron.**

"Sorting hat," said Lily knowingly.

"We know babe, we've been there, done that," said James.

"Shut up," said Lily.

'**Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking.'**

"He shouldn't have joked about that, Ron's probably already very nervous, that makes it worse," said Alice.

**Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn't know any magic yet —what on earth would he have to do? **

"That would be rude, sorting them by their magical abilities, no, it's their natures that matter," said Dumbledore.

**He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived.**

**He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, **

Sirius laughed.

**who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. **

"Nervous, bit, babe?" asked Sirius.

**Harry tried hard not to listen to her. He'd never been more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue.**

"He could be a marauder!" breathed Sirius between laughing.

**He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom. **

"That's a bit of an overstatement," Frank laughed.

**Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air — several people behind him screamed.**

**"**What?" asked Lily concerned.

'**What the —?'**

**He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts **

"Ahh, okay, everything's fine then," sighed Lily.

**had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. **

"Probably about Peeves, I think the Friar thinks he should stay and Nearly Headless Nick says he should leave Hogwarts.." said James.

**What looked like a fat little monk was saying: 'Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —'**

"I knew it," said James.

"No one doubted that James," said Lily.

'**My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost —I say, what are you all doing here?'**

**A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.**

"Ahh, and I guessed their sides right too," James smiled.

"And no one doubted that either," said Lily.

**Nobody answered.**

'**New students!' said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. 'About to be Sorted, I suppose?'**

**A few people nodded mutely.**

'**Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!' said the Friar. 'My old house, you know.'**

'**Move along now,' said a sharp voice. 'The Sorting Ceremony's about to start.'**

Sirius cheered.

**Professor McGonagall had returned. **

**One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.**

'**Now, form a line,' Professor McGonagall told the first years, 'and follow me.'**

**Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, **

"That's Seamus Finnigan," said Hermione.

"Finnigan? Is he Muggleborn?" asked Remus.

"Half-blood."

**with Ron behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.**

**Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. **

"Me neither," said Lily.

**It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Hermione whisper, 'Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in ****_Hogwarts, A History_****.'**

"You read Hogwarts, A History? I've never heard about anyone who's read it," astonished Sirius.

"Hello, I'm here," said Lily.

"Oh, I have but Lily's the only one," he corrected himself.

"Sorry to disappoint you Padfoot, but I have read it too," said Remus.

"No! Moony, I trusted you. My heart aches for this. Don't talk to me. I need to get through this loss," Sirius said holding his chest as if in huge pain.

**It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.**

**Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.**

"She definitely wouldn't. It's way too old, way too ugly, and waaaay too dirty.." said Lily.

**_Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it_****, **

"Why'd they have to do that?" asked Sirius confused.

"It's a muggle magic trick," Hermione explained.

**Harry thought wildly, that seemed the sort of thing**— **noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:**

"Alice, you'll have to sing!" urged Frank.

"Okay, but I'll make sure I won't read the Sorting chapters in the next books.." she said and started to sing:

'**_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_**

**_But don't judge on what you see,_**

**_I'll eat myself if you can find_**

**_A smarter hat than me._**

**_You can keep your bowlers black,_**

**_Your top hats sleek and tall,_**

**_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_**

**_And I can cap them all._**

**_There's nothing hidden in your head_**

**_The Sorting Hat can't see,_**

**_So try me on and I will tell you_**

**_Where you ought to be._**

**_You might belong in Gryffindor,_**

**_Where dwell the brave at heart,_**

**_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_**

**_Set Gryffindors apart;_**

**_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_**

**_Where they are just and loyal,_**

**_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_**

**_And unafraid of toil;_**

**_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_**

**_If you've a ready mind,_**

**_Where those of wit and learning,_**

**_Will always find their kind;_**

**_Or perhaps in Slytherin_**

**_You'll make your real friends,_**

**_Those cunning folk use any means_**

**_To achieve their ends._**

**_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_**

**_And don't get in a flap!_**

**_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_**

**_For I'm a Thinking Cap!'_**

**The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. **

Also the people in the Room of Requirement started applauding when Alice finished singing.

**It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.**

'**So we've just got to try on the hat!' Ron whispered to Harry. 'I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll.'**

"Wrestling a troll? No first year can beat a troll, they wouldn't make them do such thing, it's dangerous," said Lily.

Hermione smiled remembering how she became friends with Harry and Ron. The boys had been daredevils, but it was worth it. Hermione didn't want to think what would've happened if they wouldn't have come.

**Harry smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. **

**The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment.**

"The bravery or quick-wittery can be very well hidden in the beginning, but the Sorting Hat can see it, I bet there's loads of bravery in Harry and he'll be a Gryffindor," said Minerva.

**If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him.**

**Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.**

'**When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,' she said. 'Abbott, Hannah!'**

"Abbot? Not a wizarding family I've heard of.." said James.

"She's half-blood. Her mother was a witch but her father a Muggle," Hermione told them.

**A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —**

"What would you say about her?" asked Sirius.

"She could be either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," guessed James.

"I believe she's a Hufflepuff," said Lily.

"Yeah could be, but not Slytherin," said James.

'**HUFFLEPUFF!' shouted the hat.**

"Knew it!" Lily cheered.

**The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.**

'**Bones, Susan!'**

"Bones? Is she related to Edgar, Amelia and Benjamin?" asked Alice.

"Yes, she's Benjamin's daughter," said Hermione.

"Okay, then she'll be in Hufflepuff," Said Sirius.

'**HUFFLEPUFF!' shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.**

'**Boot, Terry!'**

"Ravenclaw ,if he comes anything to Alicia and Thomas, who I presume to be his parents," said Remus.

'**RAVENCLAW!'**

**The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.**

'**Brocklehurst, Mandy' **

"Ravenclaw," said Frank.

**went to Ravenclaw too, but 'Brown, Lavender'**

**"**GRYFFINDOR," shouted James.

**became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.**

'**Bulstrode, Millicent' **

"Slytherin…" said Sirius.

**then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot. **

"They are," said James.

"James, not all of them are that bad," said Hermione.

"You didn't make friends with Slytherins did you?" James asked.

"You'll understand my view later," Hermione answered.

**He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.**

'**Finch-Fletchley, Justin!'**

"Sounds like a Hufflepuff, but I presume he's a Muggleborn so he might be anything but Slytherin," said James.

'**HUFFLEPUFF!'**

**Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. 'Finnigan, Seamus,' the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute **

"Ravenclaw," said Frank.

**before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.**

"Gryffindor, really?" Frank astonished.

'**Granger, Hermione!'**

"She's a Ravenclaw," said Sirius.

"Come on Sirius, did you see her cloak? She's definitely a Gryffindor," said James.

"No, I think she's a Ravenclaw too," said Remus.

"But she herself wanted to be Gryffindor, the Hat can let you choose," said Lily, "So I believe she's a Gryffindor. And the cloak, seriously didn't you see it?"

"My middle name is still not Lee, and I saw the cloak, but maybe she just likes the color you know?" Sirius said.

**Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.**

They laughed.

'**GRYFFINDOR!' **

James and Lily high-fived and Sirius and Remus looked a bit disappointed for being wrong. Everyone congratulated Hermione for being a Gryffindor.

** shouted the hat. Ron groaned. **

**A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when you're very nervous. What if he wasn't chosen at all?**

"Of course he'll be chosen," laughed James.

**What if he just sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a mistake and he'd better get back on the train? **

"Not one non-magical person could get the letter, get through to the Platform and see Hogwarts. No mistake like that could happen," said McGonagall.

**When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool.**

"Hufflepuff." said Sirius.

"No, he's a Gryffindor," said Frank, "just like his parents."

**The hat took a long time to decide with Neville.**

**When it finally shouted, 'GRYFFINDOR,' **

Everyone cheered.

**Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to 'MacDougal, Morag.'**

"Ravenclaw," said Remus.

**Malfoy swaggered **

"Hey, it didn't tell which house she was in!" Remus protested.

"She's a Ravenclaw," said Hermione.

"Okay. And Malfoy's a Slytherin, that's obvious," Remus said.

No one disagreed.

**forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, 'SLYTHERIN!'**

**Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.**

**There weren't many people left now. 'Moon'…, 'Nott'… , 'Parkinson'… , then a pair of twin girls, 'Patil' and 'Patil'… , then 'Perks, Sally-Anne'… , and then, at last —**

'**Potter, Harry!'**

"Finally," said James.

"Gryffindor", said Sirius.

"Hufflepuff," said Remus.

"Slytherin", said Frank.

"Slytherin?" asked James.

"Well he can talk to snakes," Frank explained.

"He's not a Ravenclaw… maybe he'll be Gryffindor," said Lily.

"I agree on Gryffindor," said James.

**As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.**

"Of course," said James.

'**_Potter_****, did she say?'**

'**_The _****Harry Potter?'**

**The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.**

'**Hmm,' said a small voice in his ear. 'Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see.**

"So he should be Gryffindor," said James.

** Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So where shall I put you?'**

"Gryffindor," said Lily.

**Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, ****_Not Slytherin, not Slytherin_****.**

'**Not Slytherin, eh?' said the small voice. 'Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that **

"The Hat seriously considered Slytherin? He never told us," said Hermione.

**—no? Well, if you're sure — better be GRYFFINDOR!'**

Everyone, including the professors, cheered.

**Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. **

"Of course, he's famous," said James.

**Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, 'We got Potter! We got Potter!'**

"I love the twins," laughed Sirius.

**Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm, giving Harry the sudden, horrible feeling he'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water. **

"That's a perfect description of how it feels," said Lily.

**He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs up. Harry grinned back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.**

**And now there were only three people left to be sorted. 'Thomas, Dean,' a Black boy even taller than Ron, **

"Thomas? He's muggleborn, is he?" asked Frank.

"Actually he's half-blood, but he grew to think he was muggleborn, because his wizard father left him and his mother to keep them safe when Dean was very young. His father never told his mother he was a wizard, and Dean had his step-father's last name," Hermione explained.

"What happened to the father?" asked Lily.

"He was killed for refusing to join Voldemort", Hermione told them.

"Okay, he's a Gryffindor," said James.

**joined Harry at the Gryffindor table.**

'**Turpin, Lisa,' **

"Hufflepuff," said Alice.

"No, she must be a Ravenclaw."

**became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now.**

"Ron? Gryffindor," said Lily.

"Definitely," said Alice.

"He couldn't be anything else than a Gryffindor," said James.

**Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, 'GRYFFINDOR!'**

**Harry clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to him.**

'**Well done, Ron, excellent,' said Percy Weasley pompously across Harry**

**as 'Zabini, Blaise,' **

"Sounds very Slytherin," said Sirius.

**was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.**

**Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. **

**"It won't be empty for long time," laughed Alice.**

**He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.**

**Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.**

'**Welcome,' he said. 'Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: **

"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" said Dumbledore.

**Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!'**

**He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.**

'**Is he — a bit mad?' he asked Percy uncertainly.**

"Mad?" said Sirius airily, "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes."

'**Mad?' said Percy airily. 'He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?'**

"Padfoot's like Percy the Prefect," laughed James.

**Harry's mouth fell open.**

**The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.**

"Peppermint humbugs are my favourites. After Lemon Drops of course," Dumbledore said.

**The Dursleys had never exactly starved Harry, but he'd never been allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry really wanted, even if it made him sick.**

**Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious.**

"Of course it is," said Sirius, "It's food."

'**That does look good,' said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak.**

'**Can't you —?'**

'**I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years,' said the ghost. 'I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it.**

**I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. **

"Better known as Nearly Headless Nick, of course," said Remus.

**Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower.'**

'**I know who you are!' said Ron suddenly. 'My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!'**

"Yes he is, but he won't like being called that," said James.

'**I would ****_prefer _****you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —' the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.**

"Ahh, there comes the question," said Frank.

'**_Nearly _****Headless? How can you be ****_nearly _****headless?'**

**Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.**

"It is, he loves to show off," said James.

'**Like ****_this_****,' he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces,** **Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, 'So — new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row!**

"Six years? That is bad!" said Minerva.

**The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable — he's the Slytherin ghost.'**

**Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood.**

**He was right next to Malfoy who, Harry was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.**

Sirius and James laughed.

'**How did he get covered in blood?' asked Seamus with great interest.**

"I've tried to ask, but he refused to answer," said Sirius.

"I know," said Hermione.

"How is it that you know everything?" asked Sirius.

"I come from the future," Hermione answered winking.

'**I've never asked,' said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.**

**When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding…**

**As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families.**

'**I'm half-and-half,' said Seamus. 'Me dad's a Muggle. Mum didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him.'**

"Must've been," said Lily.

**The others laughed.**

**'What about you, Neville?' said Ron.**

'**Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch,' said Neville,**

"Wait, where are we?" asked Alice.

"Did we die," asked Frank.

"I don't wanna die so young," said Alice almost crying.

"Oh dear, I have to tell you something," Said Hermione.

"Please tell, it will be better", said Frank holding his future wife in a tight embrace.

"After the downfall of Voldemort some of his strongest supporters were still on the run. Four of them tried to get information from you", Hermione explained.

"Who?" asked Sirius.

"Barty Crouch jr.,"

"Wait what? He's a Death Eater?" astonished Remus.

"Unfortunately," said Hermione.

"Who else?" asked Alice.

"Rodolphus Lestrange and his wife Bellatrix Black and his brother Rabastan Lestrange," Hermione said.

"So what happened to us?" Frank asked.

"You were tortured into insanity, and you had to go to St. Mungo's. Your faith was worse than death."

Silent filled the room.

"Can you continue reading 'Mione?" Alice asked.

"Yes of course darling."

**'but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages.** **My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me — he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned —**

"Never much sense in him, the fool," Frank said, trying to lighten the mood.

**but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go.**

**But I bounced — all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here — they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad.'**

**On Harry's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons**

"Lessons, seriously Hermione?" asked Sirius.

"Well to be precise, my full name isn't Sirius Lee Hermione Granger but, yes, we discussed lessons," Hermione said.

** ('I ****_do _****hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, **

Minerva looked very pleased to hear this.

**you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult —';** '**You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing — ').**

**Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.**

"No!"

"Just tell me it's not who I think it is," said Lily.

"Sorry, can't do that…" Hermione apologized.

"What is he doing, teaching? It doesn't sound like him. He hates children," Lily astonished.

**It happened very suddenly. **

"What happened?" asked Lily.

**The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes — and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.**

"What?" astonished James.

'**Ouch!' Harry clapped a hand to his head.**

'**What is it?' asked Percy.**

'**N-nothing.'**

**The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look — a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all.**

"Sorry, might be my fault," said James.

'**Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?' he asked Percy.**

'**Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to **

"Why? He loves potions!" said Lily

**— everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape.'**

"Ahh, and I guess there's a good reason Dumbledore isn't giving him the job," said Sirius.

**Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again.**

**At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.**

'**Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered.**

**I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.'**

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Marauders.

**Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.**

'**I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.**

"That's stupid rule," said James.

"But it doesn't really stop you, does it?" said Lily.

**Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. **

**"Harry should try out," said James.**

"First, first years don't get to the team, and second, Harry hates flying," Hermione lied fluently.

James and Sirius looked disappointed.

**Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.'**

"What?" Frank astonished.

**Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.**

'**He's not serious?' he muttered to Percy.**

"No, I am," said Sirius.

'**Must be' said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. 'It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere — the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least.'**

'**And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!' **

Minerva smiled quite fixedly.

**cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.**

**Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.**

'**Everyone pick their favorite tune,' said Dumbledore, 'and off we go!'**

**And the school bellowed:**

Also the people in the Room decided to sing. James and Sirius chose a slow funeral tune, and Lily, Alice and Hermione sung a beautiful pop tune, as Remus and Frank were singing in a rock tune.

'**_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_**

**_Teach us something please,_**

**_Whether we be old and bald_**

**_Or young with scabby knees,_**

**_Our heads could do with filling_**

**_With some interesting stuff,_**

**_For now they're bare and full of air,_**

**_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_**

**_So teach us things worth knowing,_**

**_Bring back what we've forgot,_**

**_just do your best, we'll do the rest,_**

**_And learn until our brains all rot.'_**

Dumbledore conducted Sirius and James' last few lines with his wand and when they had finished Hermione continued singing.

**Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march.**

Sirius and James laughed.

**Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.**

'**Ah, music,' he said, wiping his eyes. 'A magic beyond all we do here!** **And now, bedtime. Off you trot!'**

"Professor, with all respect, we are not horses," Sirius said to Dumbledore.

**The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. He was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries.**

"No one notices the first day, it has been a long day then," said Lily.

**They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.**

**A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.**

**"**Peeves," laughed James.

'**Peeves,' Percy whispered to the first years. 'A poltergeist.' He raised his voice, 'Peeves — show yourself.'**

**A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.**

'**Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?'**

"Not going to work," said Lily.

**There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.**

'**Oooooooh!' he said, with an evil cackle. 'Ickle Firsties! What fun!'**

**He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.**

'**Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!' barked Percy.**

**Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.**

'**You want to watch out for Peeves,' said Percy, as they set off again. 'The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, **

"And those who are on his side," said Sirius.

**he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are.'**

**At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.**

'**Password?' she said.**

'**Caput Draconis,' said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it — Neville needed a leg up — and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.**

"Home sweet home," said Lily.

**Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase — they were obviously in one of the towers — they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.**

"Always," said Lily.

'**Great food, isn't it?' Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings. 'Get ****_off_****, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets.'**

**Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he fell asleep almost at once.**

**Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully — and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it — then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold — there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking.**

"That's one weird dream," said Frank.

**He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he didn't remember the dream at all.**

"Better that way," said Lily.

"That's the end of the chapter. I suggest one more chapter and then sleeping, what do you think?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah sounds good," said Minerva, "I can read next."

Hermione gave her new mother the book and Minerva started reading:

**"The Potions Master"**


	9. The Potions Master

**A/N: Sorry for so long pause between updating, there has been all sorts of projects that I've had to do, and I haven't had enough time. I'm so sorry, but here is the next chapter anyway :)**

**Chapter nine**

**"The Potions Master"**

"Oh no," said Lily.

'**There, look.'**

"What, where?" asked Sirius.

'**Where?'**

'**Next to the tall kid with the red hair.'**

"Ahh, they're talking about Harry," Sirius laughed.

'**Wearing the glasses?'**

"Obviously," said James pushing his own glasses up.

'**Did you see his face?'**

"What about his face?" asked Lily.

'**Did you see his scar?'**

"The scar, yes, I was wondering when it would come up," said Frank.

**Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next day. **

"Well, he's famous, but they'll get over it," said Alice.

**People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring. **

"They wouldn't really have to try that hard, I'm quite sure they'd see him on the corridors any way," said Remus.

**Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes. **

"Harry'd need a map," said Alice.

"Harry'd need _the Map!_" Sirius realized.

"Yes of course, but how could he get it?" asked James.

"Well, if I am still alive, I could give it to him," said Sirius.

"Well, didn't Mione say you were unavailable, I don't think you could've really passed it on…" said James sadly.

"Well Remus then. Harry needs to get the Map!" pouted Sirius.

"Excuse me, but what the hell are you two talking about?" asked Lily.

"Nothing," said James, a bit too quickly earning a suspicious glare from Lily saying quite clearly, 'If you don't tell, I will find out'.

**There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: **

"He counted?" wondered Frank.

**wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. **

**Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, **

"I'm hungry!" said Sirius.

"What? There was no mention of food," wondered Lily.

"If we did two more chapters and then eat and go to sleep?" Hermione asked laughing, knowing what had reminded the young man of food.

"Okay," pouted Sirius.

**and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. **

"And that' why he needs the Map," said Sirius seriously.

**The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk.**

"They can't," said Lily.

"They can," said Hermione.

"They CAN?" wondered James.

"They can," confirmed Minerva.

"Wow."

**The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, **

"Of course, he wouldn't want Gryffindor to lose points for being late," said James.

**but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. **

"Except if you're a Marauder. You just have to suggest him a new prank and he goes away," said Sirius.

**He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, 'GOT YOUR CONK!'**

"I taught him that," laughed Sirius.

**Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. **

"Yes of course, he's a nightmare. One more reason Harry'd need the Map," said James.

**Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning. **

"What did they do?" asked Lily concerned.

**Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor.**

**"**Whoops," said Sirius.

**He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing. **

"Thanks for that," said James.

**Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. **

"It really seems like they have some sort of connection between them," said Frank.

**Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) **

"What do you think, could they really know them all?" Sirius asked from James.

"Well they might," James answered.

"They do," said Hermione.

"Really? How do you know?"

"Third book."

"You know that's annoying, you start telling something, and then you just say which book it is in," Sirius pouted.

"Well, I don't want to spoil everything," Hermione said.

**and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick. **

"Yeah, mine too," said Alice.

**And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words. **

"There is, but when you get to fighting spells there just that," said Frank, "They need to be quick," he added.

**They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. **

"It can be very tiring sometimes, being in the Astronomy Tower with the class at midnight..." said Sirius.

"But it isn't tiring at all to be there with a girl?" asked Alice.

"Of course not, what are you thinking?" Sirius pouted.

**Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, **

"She's still teaching then," said Lily.

**where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. **

**Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, **

"Couldn't agree more," said Sirius, yawning only of the thought of it.

**which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.**

"Who wouldn't mix them up?" wondered James.

"Me," said Hermione.

"Really?"

"Well I got O from the History of Magic O.W.L."

"REALLY?"

"Yes."

"You're a freak," said Sirius.

"Thanks."

"But you're a beautiful, awesome, funny, amazing, charming and lovable freak," he corrected himself, making Hermione to roll her eyes.

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight. **

**This caused everyone to laugh.**

**Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. **

"She can be crossed, but she doesn't like it, that's Minnie," said Sirius.

"Black, do you want another detention?"

"Nope."

"Then don't call me Minnie."

"Ok, Minnie."

"And that would make a third detention."

"Damn."

**Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.**

'**Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts,' she said. 'Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned.'**

"Haven't we messed around in Minnie's class?" James wondered.

"Yes you have, but you're so good students, I wouldn't throw you out. And it's detention to you too, Potter."

**Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. **

"They'd start off with something easy and simple like turn a match into a needle," said Lily.

**After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger had made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile. **

"Hey, it's not that rare, she gives us smiles too, when we have behaved and succeeded with the transfiguring," said Sirius.

**The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. **

"It really was, we didn't really get to really learn defense before third year," said Hermione.

"Really?" wondered James.

"Really, but in third year we had the best teacher there could be."

"Who was it?"

"You'll see."

"So we know the teacher?"

"You'll see."

**His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. **

"He seems to be afraid of everything," said Frank.

**His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; **

"I doubt he has fought of the zombie," said James.

**for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went. **

_I wish it was only garlic, _thought Hermione.

**Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone else**

"Of course he wasn't, though the purebloods learn something at home, they usually aren't the same things they learn at school," said Lily.

**Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start. **

**Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. **

"What happened?" asked Sirius.

**They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.**

"Wow, that's an achievement," said Sirius sarcastically.

'**What have we got today?' Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.**

'**Double Potions with the Slytherins,' said Ron.**

"Oh," said Sirius, "that's not gonna be pretty."

'**Snape's Head of Slytherin House. **

"Of course he is, if he came after Slughorn, it's sort of obvious," said Lily.

**They say he always favors them **

"Not surprised here," said James.

**— we'll be able to see if it's true.'**

'**Wish McGonagall favored us,' said Harry. **

"What good would it do?" asked Minerva, "you wouldn't learn any better."

**Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before. **

"Favoring someone doesn't mean not giving them homework," said Lily.

**Just then, the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, **

"Me too," said Lily.

**when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps. **

**Hedwig hadn't brought Harry anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble his ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls.**

**This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto Harry's plate.**

"Harry got mail! Who do you think it is?" wondered Sirius.

"Hagrid, maybe," said Lily.

"It could be Remus or Sirius, too," said James.

"It wouldn't be the Dursleys," said Remus.

"Well let's see," said Lily.

**Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:**

"Hagrid," said Sirius.

**_Dear Harry,_**

**_I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?_**

**_I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig._**

**_Hagrid_**

"That's so kind of him, inviting Harry to tea," said Alice.

**Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled ****_Yes, please, see you later _****on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.**

**It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far.**

"That I'm not surprised of," said James.

**At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong. **

"Wait what?" wondered Sirius.

**Snape didn't dislike Harry**

"Seriously, WHAT?" asked James.

"It said Snape didn't dislike Harry, though my second name isn't still Lee," said Sirius.

**he ****_hated _****him. **

"Ahh, everything normal then," sighed James.

**Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. **

**Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.**

'**Ah, Yes,' he said softly, 'Harry Potter. Our new — ****_celebrity_****.'**

"Git," said James.

**Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. **

**Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. **

"Well he's a Death Eater," said James.

**They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.**

'**You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making,' he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.**

"He might be a little scary," said Lily.

'**As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.'**

"That's rude!" said Lily.

**More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.**

Everyone laughed at this, making Hermione blush.

'**Potter!' said Snape suddenly. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?'**

"Wait a minute, Minerva, could you repeat that?" asked Lily.

"Of course. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?'"

"Oh dear. Oh dear," gasped Lily.

"What is it?" asked James worriedly.

"Well, you know asphodel is a type of lily?"

"Yes."

"It has this meaning 'my regrets follow you to the grave'…" she told him.

"So?"

"And Wormwood means 'absence' and symbolizes bitter sorrow!" said Lily.

Hermione gasped of realization.

"And?"

"Did you listen to what I said? He's basically saying that he 'Bitterly regrets my (Lily's) death'."

Gasp.

"He really cared about you then," said James bitterly.

"It seems so."

"He really did," said Hermione.

"Really?"

"Yes, but you'll have to wait until the seventh book for the story," Hermione said.

**_Powdered root of what to an infusion of what_****? Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.**

"Of course," laughed Sirius.

'**I don't know, sir,' said Harry.**

**Snape's lips curled into a sneer.**

'**Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything.'**

**"He can't really expect Harry to know that," said Minerva.**

**"Maybe he just wanted to say that he wished I was still alive, though he couldn't say it straight," said Lily, smiling sadly.**

**He ignored Hermione's hand.**

'**Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?'**

"That at least is a first year question," said Lily.

**Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat,**

"Bit eager, are you?" asked Sirius.

** but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.**

"I doubt they know either," noted Remus.

'**I don't know, sir.'**

'**Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?'**

"He can't expect him to know the book by heart," James protested.

**Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through his books at the Dursleys', but did Snape expect him to remember everything in ****_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_****?**

"Probably," said Sirius.

**Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.**

'**What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?'**

**At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.**

Sirius laughed.

'**I don't know,' said Harry quietly. 'I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?'**

"I doubt Snape's pleased about that," said Sirius.

**A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.**

"Knew it," said Sirius.

'**Sit down,' he snapped at Hermione. 'For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?'**

"Because you didn't ask them to?" said James.

**There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, 'And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter.'**

"A point for his cheek? That's rude," said Lily.

"Well if you'd count how many points he has lost or detentions he has gotten because of his cheek, it might take a while..." said Hermione.

"Detention for cheek?" wondered James.

"Fifth book."

**Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like.**

"Of course, he's friend with Malfoy senior. I wouldn't be surprised if Snape was Malfoy's Godfather," said Sirius.

**He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, **

"I doubt it was Neville alone, Seamus was quite good at accidentally blowing up things," Hermione laughed.

**and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. **

"Whoops," said Lily.

**Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.**

"Poor Neville," said Alice.

'**Idiot boy!'**

"He can't call his students idiots! They will never want to learn if when they fail the get called idiots…" said Lily.

**snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. **

**'I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?'**

**Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.**

"He needs to be taken to the hospital wing!" said Lily.

'**Take him up to the hospital wing,' **

"Thank Godric there's some sense in him…"

**Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.**

"He can't blame Harry for this!" shouted James.

'**You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?**

"He was probably concentrating on his own potion!" yelled Sirius.

**Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor.'**

"He really can't take a point for that!" Lily protested.

**This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron.**

"Good thinking, he would've just lost more points…" said Frank.

'**Don't push it,' he muttered, 'I've heard Snape can turn very nasty.'**

"He can," said Hermione.

**As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Harry's mind was racing and his spirits were low. He'd lost two points for Gryffindor in his very first week**

"Two points isn't much, we lost fifty with Sirius," said James.

"Fifty?" wondered Hermione.

"Yeah, but we earned them back quite well in transfiguration," he said.

**_why _****did Snape hate him so much?**

"Sorry, it might be my fault," said James.

"Of course it isn't," said Lily, "He's a jerk."

'**Cheer up,' said Ron, 'Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. **

"And that I don't doubt," said Frank.

**Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?'**

**At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.**

**When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, '****_Back_****, Fang —****_back_****.'**

"Fang? He's still alive?" wondered Sirius.

**Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.**

'**Hang on,' he said. '****_Back_****, Fang.'**

**He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound. **

**There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.**

"It's really lovely place I think, though not quite my style, but it fits Hagrid," said Alice.

'**Make yerselves at home,' said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. **

**Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.**

"Of course, Hagrid's creatures with dangerous sounding names are usually the kindest," said James.

"And the ones with the most innocent names are the most dangerous," added Hermione.

"Don't tell me you've met those dangerous ones," said Lily.

"Sorry, can't say that," Hermione answered.

'**This is Ron,' Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.**

'**Another Weasley, eh?' said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles.**

'**I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest.'**

"Hardly," said James.

"They can't be more than fourth years, if Percy is a fifth year…" said Sirius.

"They were third years," said Hermione.

"I don't believe two years is half of Hagrid's life then," said James.

**The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons.**

**Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.**

"Lovely," said Alice.

**Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch 'that old git.'**

'**An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it.'**

**Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students**

"I really think he likes Harry even less, because he looks like me," said James.

'**But he seemed to really ****_hate _****me.'**

'**Rubbish!' said Hagrid. 'Why should he?'**

"Hmm, because he hates me?" said James.

**Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.**

"So he knows Snape has a good reason to hate Harry," said Lily.

'**How's yer brother Charlie?' Hagrid asked Ron. 'I liked him a lot — great with animals.'"**

"Changing the subject," Sirius said in a sing-song voice.

**Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the ****_Daily Prophet_****:**

**_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST_**

"Oh yeah, I forgot someone broke into Gringotts," said Lily taking a better position to listen.

**_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, _**

"Isn't that Harry's birthday?" wondered James.

"It is," said Hermione.

**_widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day._**

"That's curious," said Frank.

'**_But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you,' said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon._**

**Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.**

"They emptied a vault that day!" Alice realized.

'**Hagrid!' said Harry, 'that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!'**

"Possible," said Lily.

**There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. **

"They probably tried to rob the vault they emptied," said James.

**He grunted and offered him another rock cake. Harry read the story again. ****_The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. _****Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?**

"Probably," said Sirius.

**As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. **

"He shouldn't think about it too much, school is much more important," said Lily.

**Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry?**

"That's the end of the chapter," said Minerva.

"I can read next," said James taking the book from Minerva,**"The Midnight Duel"**


	10. The Midnight Duel

**A/N: Sorry for making you wait so long, but here's the next chapter, with something you might maybe like too ;) Hope you like it.**

**Chapter ten**

**"The Midnight Duel"**

"Oh no. What has he gotten himself into?" Lily asked concerned.

**Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley,**

"He does?" wondered Sirius.

**but that was before he met Draco Malfoy.**

"Okay, I understand it now."

**Still, first-year Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much.**

"That sounds just too good to last…" said Frank.

**Or at least,**

"Oh no…" said Alice, "They're going to have flying lessons with the Slytherins."

"So we're going to find out why Harry doesn't like flying!" said James.

**they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday — and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.**

"Just their luck.." said Remus darkly, "Harry wouldn't want to make a fool of himself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy.."

"He won't make a fool of himself!" James defended.

"Why do you think he doesn't like flying?" Remus queried.

**'Typical,' said Harry darkly. 'Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy.'**

"See?"

**He had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.**

"So he did want to learn to fly," said Sirius.

**'You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself,' said Ron reasonably.**

"My thoughts exactly," said James.

'**Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk.'**

"It probably is, Lucius wasn't that could flier in the beginning, he hardly knew how to hold his broom correctly, even though he bragged so much about it before the lessons started," said Remus.

**Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams**

Hermione smiled to herself.

**and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.**

"What are Whoollycoppers?" asked James.

"Helicopters are those flying Muggle flying vehicle that is supported by rotors," Lily explained.

**He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick.**

**Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom.**

**Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly.**

"That's because they don't know any other sports. Muggles talk about football just as much," said Hermione.

**Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about football.**

"Exactly," said Hermione.

**Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly.**

"It really isn't all that exciting, but that's the best Muggles can do," said Lily.

**Harry had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham football team, trying to make the players move.**

"He wouldn't be good enough in Charms yet though," said Lily knowingly.

**Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one.**

"Poor Neville," said Alice sadly.

**Privately, Harry felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.**

"He got it from Alice," Frank laughed.

**Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was.**

"Of course, you can't learn flying from a book," said Remus.

"But I'm sure she tried," said Sirius teasingly.

**This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book —**

"Knew it," said Remus.

**not that she hadn't tried.**

"HA!" shouted Sirius.

**At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called_Quidditch Through the Ages_.**

"It's a good book though," said James.

**Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.**

"Poor Hermione, no one listens to you," said Sirius with a pitying voice.

"Shut up Sirius,"

"Sure thing babe."

**Harry hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.**

"Spoiled brat," said Alice.

**A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.**

"They still make Remembralls?" Frank astonished, "I remember having one too. The only bad thing was that it didn't tell you what you'd forgotten…"

**'It's a Remembrall!' he explained. 'Gran knows I forget things — this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red — oh…' His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, '… you've forgotten something…'**

**Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.**

"Hey give it back to him!" Sirius and James shouted.

**Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.**

"I think we've trained her a bit, because she sure wasn't that quick in our first year," said Sirius.

"Well I've learned to suspect the First years too," said Minerva.

**'What's going on?'**

**'Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor.'**

**Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.**

**'Just looking,' he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.**

"Idiot," growled Sirius.

**At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day,**

"Sounds good," said James.

**and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.**

**The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.**

"They really are horrible," said Sirius.

**Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.**

**'Well, what are you all waiting for?' she barked. 'Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up.'**

**Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.**

**'Stick out your right hand over your broom,' called Madam Hooch at the front, 'and say "Up!"'**

'**UP' everyone shouted.**

**Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once,**

"WHAT?" shouted James, "HE MUST BE A NATURAL, IF THAT HAPPENS, AND HE DOESN'T LIKE QUIDDITCH?"

Hermione couldn't hold her giggle in.

"Prongs, I have a feeling someone has been lying to us…" said Sirius.

"Well I think we have to make sure first, before she can be punished, though Padfoot," said James.

"Okay, let's see then."

**but it was one of the few that did.**

**Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Harry; there was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.**

**Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.**

"Just like his father then," said Remus.

**'Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard,' said Madam Hooch. 'Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —'**

"I'm scared," said Lily.

"Don't be," said James, wrapping an arm around her.

**But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.**

"Oh no…" said Alice, "That can't be good…"

**'Come back, boy!' she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet. Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and —**

"And what?" Alice asked terrified.

**WHAM — a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass in a heap.**

"Oh my baby…" said Alice concerned.

**His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.**

**Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.**

**'Broken wrist,' Harry heard her mutter. 'Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get.'**

**She turned to the rest of the class.**

**'None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say "Quidditch." Come on, dear.'**

"I have a feeling someone will fly," said Remus.

**Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.**

**No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.**

"Idiot…" said Frank.

**'Did you see his face, the great lump?'**

**The other Slytherins joined in.**

**'Shut up, Malfoy,' snapped Parvati Patil.**

**'Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?' said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. 'Never thought_you'd_like fat little crybabies, Parvati.'**

**'Look!' said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. 'It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him.'**

"Can't he just leave Neville alone?" asked Lily.

**The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.**

**'Give that here, Malfoy,' said Harry quietly.**

"Way to go Harry!" cheered Sirius.

**Everyone stopped talking to watch.**

**Malfoy smiled nastily.**

**'I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find — how about — up a tree?'**

**'Give it _here_!' Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he_could_fly well.**

"He isn't probably that good, Harry just has nothing to compare to," said James.

**Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, 'Come and get it, Potter!'**

"Oh no," said Lily.

**Harry grabbed his broom.**

"Harry don't! You'll get yourself into trouble!" Lily shouted.

**'_No!'_shouted Hermione Granger. 'Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble.'**

"Rules aren't everything, 'Mione," Sirius told her.

"I know that know," Hermione smiled.

**Harry ignored her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him — and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being taught**

"He really is a natural!" James astonished.

**— this was easy, this was _wonderful_.**

"It is, isn't it?" said Sirius.

"No, it isn't," said Hermione.

"You don't fly?"

"Well, as you know, it can't be learned from a book."

**He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.**

**He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in mid air. Malfoy looked stunned.**

"Of course, he didn't expect Harry to go after him, or be able to fly," said Alice.

**'Give it here,' Harry called, 'or I'll knock you off that broom!'**

**'Oh, yeah?' said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.**

**Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.**

"WOO!" cheered James.

**'No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy,' Harry called.**

**The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.**

**'Catch it if you can, then!' he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.**

"Oh dear," said Lily, "This is where he makes a fool out of himself…"

"Maybe he doesn't, and we have a liar here," said Sirius.

**Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down — next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball — wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching — he stretched out his hand — a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.**

The whole group was completely silent through the episode, waiting for the worst to happen.

"Wow," said Sirius finally.

"He really can fly," said James.

**'HARRY POTTER!'**

"Oh no, the teacher's back…" said Remus.

**His heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Professor McGonagall**

"Even worse," said Remus, and added, "Sorry professor."

**was running toward them.**

**He got to his feet, trembling.**

**'_Never_— in all my time at Hogwarts —'**

**Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, '— how_dare_you — might have broken your neck —'**

"He could've though," said Lily.

**'It wasn't his fault, Professor —'**

**'Be quiet, Miss Patil —'**

**'But Malfoy —'**

"Nice for them to try to defend him," said Alice.

**'That's _enough_, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now.'**

**Harry caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as he left,**

"Poor Harry, maybe he got banned to flying?" suggested James.

**walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward the castle. He was going to be expelled, he just knew it.**

"He probably won't be expelled," said Remus.

**He wanted to say something to defend himself, but there seemed to be something wrong with his voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at him; he had to jog to keep up.**

**Now he'd done it. He hadn't even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags in ten minutes. What would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the doorstep?**

"They wouldn't be glad…" said Frank.

**Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to him.**

**She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking him to Dumbledore.**

"I doubt that too, it wasn't that big a deal really…" said Alice.

**He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps he could be Hagrid's assistant. His stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming wizards, while he stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.**

"He's overreacting a bit isn't he?" said Lily.

**Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.**

**'Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?'**

"Wood? Who's that?" asked James.

**Wood? thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him?**

"I believe it's a person, there'd be nothing else to get from the Charms class…" said Lily.

**But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.**

"A fifth year?" astonished Sirius.

**'Follow me, you two,' said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry.**

**'In here.'**

**Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.**

**'Out, Peeves!' she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.**

**'Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood — I've found you a Seeker.'**

"A SEEKER?" James and Sirius shouted.

**Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.**

**'Are you serious, Professor?'**

"No she isn't I am," said Sirius.

"Shut up, Black," said Lily.

'**Absolutely,' said Professor McGonagall crisply. 'The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?'**

"Yes it was," said James proudly.

**Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on, but he didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming back to his legs.**

**'He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive,'**

"Fifty feet?" wondered Sirius, "Wow, this boy's my hero!"

**Professor McGonagall told Wood. 'Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it.'**

**Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.**

"Of course, if they didn't have a Seeker, it would be like a dream come true," said James.

"Quidditch captains," muttered Lily.

**'Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?' he asked excitedly.**

"Unfortunately not," said James.

**'Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team,' Professor McGonagall explained.**

"Figures," said Sirius.

**'He's just the build for a Seeker, too,' said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him. 'Light —speedy — we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor — a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say.'**

"Hope he gets the Nimbus two thousand," said James.

**'I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can bend the first-year rule.**

"Hope they can, because school brooms aren't good enough…" noted Sirius.

**Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year._Flattened_in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks…'**

"That sounds so weird, thinking Snape is our age," said Alice.

**Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.**

**'I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you.'**

"He will," Lily ensured, "if he's anything like his father."

**Then she suddenly smiled.**

**'Your father would have been proud,' she said. 'He was an excellent Quidditch player himself.'**

"Yes I AM. Thanks Professor," said James.

"You're very welcome Mr. Potter," Minerva said.

**'You're _joking_.'**

"No she isn't, I am an excellent Quidditch player," said James.

**It was dinnertime.**

"Oh."

**Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it.**

"He'd forgotten about food?" wondered Hermione.

**'_Seeker_?' he said. 'But first years _never_— you must be the youngest house player in about —'**

**'— a century,' said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth. He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. 'Wood told me.'**

**Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.**

"Harry's his idol," laughed Sirius.

Hermione just smiled sadly, remembering where that would lead them in fourth year.

**'I start training next week,' said Harry. 'Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret.'**

**Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and hurried over.**

"They must have heard," said James.

'**Well done,' said George in a low voice. 'Wood told us. We're on the team too**

"Let me guess, they're the Beaters," said Remus.

**— Beaters.'**

"Ha!"

**'I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year,; said Fred.**

**'We haven't won since Charlie left,**

"And how old is he?" Sirius asked.

"He's been out of Hogwarts for six years," said Hermione.

"SIX YEARS BETWEEN GRYFFINDOR WINS?" shouted Sirius.

"Unfortunately."

**but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us.'**

**'Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school.'**

"COOL," said James changing to a better position to hear.

**'Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week.**

"Oh, that one," said James.

"They found it in their first week though," said Sirius.

"Could they have it?"

"I think they don't have it, they've found them all themselves."

"No, they must have it."

"Want to bet?"

"Okay, I, James Potter, say 2 Galleons for The Twins having it."

"Deal."

All the others just watched the exchange confused, excluding Remus who was rolling his eyes.

**See you.'**

**Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.**

**'Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?'**

"He's not going back you fool!" said Lily.

**'You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you,' said Harry coolly.**

"Ooh, sassy!" said Sirius.

**There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.**

**'I'd take you on anytime on my own,' said Malfoy. 'Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact**.

"Oh no, they didn't?" asked Lily concerned.

"Sorry."

**What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?'**

**'Of course he has,' said Ron, wheeling around. 'I'm his second,**

"RON!" yelled Alice.

**who's yours?'**

**Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.**

**'Crabbe,' he said. 'Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked.'**

"I feel like it's a trap," said Remus.

**When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other.**

**'What is a wizard's duel?' said Harry. 'And what do you mean, you're my second?'**

**'Well, a second's there to take over if you die,' said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, 'But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway.'**

"Yeah, he definitely did," said Frank.

**'And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?'**

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Sirius suggested making Hermione roll her eyes.

'**Throw it away and punch him on the nose,' Ron suggested**.

Sirius laughed.

**'Excuse me.'**

**They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.**

"Hermione, thank you for bringing sense to this world for them," said Lily.

"I'm sorry, I mightn't have succeeded that time," Hermione apologized.

**'Can't a person eat in peace in this place?' said Ron.**

**Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.**

**'I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —'**

"You could have, but you didn't want to help overhearing," Sirius stated.

**'Bet you could,' Ron muttered.**

**'— and you _mustn't _go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you.'**

**'And it's really none of your business,' said Harry.**

"HARRY!" shouted Lily disapprovingly.

**'Good-bye,' said Ron.**

**All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, Harry thought, as he lay awake much later listening to Dean and Seamus falling asleep (Neville wasn't back from the hospital wing).**

**Ron had spent all evening giving him advice such as 'If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them.'**

"Sounds good," muttered Lily.

**There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris, and Harry felt he was pushing his luck, breaking another school rule today. On the other hand, Malfoy's sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness — this was his big chance to beat Malfoy face-to-face. He couldn't miss it.**

**'Half-past eleven,' Ron muttered at last, 'we'd better go.'**

**They pulled on their bathrobes, picked up their wands, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, 'I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry.'**

"Hermione, thank you, again," said Lily.

"Don't thank me yet."

**A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.**

**'_You!'_ said Ron furiously. 'Go back to bed!'**

**'I almost told your brother,' Hermione snapped, 'Percy — he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this.'**

"That wouldn't have helped," said James.

**Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.**

**'Come on,' he said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.**

**Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.**

**'Don't you _care _about Gryffindor, do you _only _care about yourselves,_I _don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells.'**

"They don't care, they have their pride to keep," said Remus.

'**Go away.'**

**'All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so —'**

**But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting.**

"You're going with them, aren't you?" asked Frank.

**The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.**

**'Now what am I going to do?' she asked shrilly.**

**'That's your problem,' said Ron. 'We've got to go, we're going to be late.'**

"How can he be so rude?" Alice astonished.

**They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.**

**'I'm coming with you,' she said.**

"Knew it!" said Frank.

**'You are_not_.'**

**'D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me?**

"Good point," said James.

**If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up.'**

**'You've got some nerve —' said Ron loudly.**

**'Shut up, both of you!' said Harry sharply. 'I heard something.'**

**It was a sort of snuffling.**

"Mrs. Norris? They'd better run," said Sirius seriously.

**'Mrs. Norris?' breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.**

**It wasn't Mrs. Norris.**

"What?" wondered Lily.

**It was Neville.**

"What is he doing there at that hour?" wondered Alice.

**He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.**

**'Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed.'**

"Ahh, just like his father then," said Alice.

**'Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now; the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere. How's your arm?' said Harry**.

'Fine,' said Neville, showing them. 'Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute.'

**'Good — well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later —'**

"You're not gonna leave him there are you?" Lily upbraided.

**'Don't leave me!' said Neville, scrambling to his feet, 'I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already.'**

**Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville.**

**'If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you.'**

"That's so threatening," laughed James.

**Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies,**

This made everyone laugh.

**but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.**

**They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floorand tiptoed toward the trophy room.**

**Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet.**

"They aren't coming," said Lily.

**The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once.**

**The minutes crept by.**

**'He's late, maybe he's chickened out,' Ron whispered.**

"He has told Filch, probably, and doesn't come himself," said Remus.

**Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak — and it wasn't Malfoy.**

**'Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner.'**

"Exactly," said Remus.

**It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Harry waved madly at the other three to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.**

**'They're in here somewhere,' they heard him mutter, 'probably hiding.'**

**'This way!' Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor.**

"Oh no, Filch heard them for sure…" said Alice.

**The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.**

**'RUN!' Harry yelled, and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following — they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead, without any idea where they were or where they were going — they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.**

"Ahh, I know which they used," said James.

**'I think we've lost him,' Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.**

**'I —_told_— you,' Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, 'I — told — you.'**

"You and your I told you sos should wait until your safe in the Gryffindor common room," said Lily.

**'We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower,' said Ron, 'quickly as possible.'**

**'Malfoy tricked you,' Hermione said to Harry. 'You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you — Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off.'**

**Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn't going to tell her that.**

"Jerk," Hermione laughed.

**'Let's go.'**

**It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.**

**It was Peeves.**

"Oh Godric, isn't there enough trouble for a day already?" Lily wondered.

**He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.**

**'Shut up, Peeves — please — you'll get us thrown out.'**

**Peeves cackled.**

**'Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty.'**

**'Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please.'**

**'Should tell Filch, I should,' said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. 'It's for your own good, you know.'**

"If they don't annoy him, they'll be all right," said Sirius.

**'Get out of the way,' snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves**

"Whoops," said James.

**this was a big mistake.**

**'STUDENTS OUT OF BED!' Peeves bellowed, 'STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!'**

**Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door — and it was locked.**

"Use Alohomora for Godric's sake!" Lily shouted.

**'This is it!' Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, 'We're done for! This is the end!'**

**They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.**

**'Oh, move over,' Hermione snarled.**

"Thank God you were there," Lily sighed.

**She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, '_Alohomora_!'**

**The lock clicked and the door swung open — they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.**

**'Which way did they go, Peeves?' Filch was saying. 'Quick, tell me.'**

**'Say 'please.'**

"YES! He's not gonna tell," Sirius cheered.

**'Don't mess with me, Peeves, now_where did they go_?'**

**'Shan't say nothing if you don't say please,' said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.**

**'All right —_please_.'**

**'NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!'**

**And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.**

**'He thinks this door is locked,' Harry whispered. 'I think we'll be okay — get _off_, Neville!'**

"My poor baby's scared," pitied Alice.

**For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. '_What_?'**

**Harry turned around — and saw, quite clearly, what.**

"What is it?" wondered Lily.

**For a moment, he was sure he'd walked into a nightmare —**

"Please, no more nightmares for one night," Lily pleaded.

**this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far.**

**They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor.**

"Oh no," Alice gasped.

**And now they knew why it was forbidden.**

**They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog,**

"There's nothing wrong with dogs," said Sirius.

**a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor.**

"Even if they're a bit big," Sirius continued starting to look worried.

**It had three heads.**

"Okay that might be a bit too much," Sirius confessed looking extremely worried.

**Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.**

"Seriously, a three-headed dog in Hogwarts, why? And behind a first year locking spell, where have you lost your sense, Dumbledore?" asked Lily.

"I truly don't know," said Albus.

**It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.**

"Oh no," said Lily.

**Harry groped for the doorknob — between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.**

"Good choice, son," said James.

**They fell backward — Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared — all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.**

"Good choice," said Sirius.

**'Where on earth have you all been?'**

"Good, she's returned," sighed Alice.

**she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.**

**'Never mind that — pig snout, pig snout,' panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward.**

**They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.**

**It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.**

"Poor boy's traumatized," Lily pitied.

**'What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?' said Ron finally. 'If any dog needs exercise, that one does.'**

**Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. 'You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?' she snapped. 'Didn't you see what it was standing on?'**

"Standing on?" wondered Lily.

'**The floor?' Harry suggested. 'I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads.**'

"Yeah, I would've been too," said James.

**'No,_not _the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something.'**

"Guarding something?" wondered Sirius.

**She stood up, glaring at them.**

**'I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled.**

"'Mione, darling, you need to sort out your priorities," said Sirius.

"I have," she said.

**Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed.'**

**Ron stared after her, his mouth open**

**'No, we don't mind,' he said. 'You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you.'**

**But Hermione had given Harry something else to think about as he climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something… What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide — except perhaps Hogwarts.**

"The philosopher's stone, the name of the book!" Lily realized.

**It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.**

"That's the end of the chapter," said James.

"Okay, time to sleep, there should be enough rooms, I thought Alice and Frank can sleep in same room or?" Hermione suggested looking at Minerva questionably.

"I think it's okay, if you do nothing irresponsible," said Minerva.

"Okay, and I'll sleep with Lily, and James, Remus and Sirius'll share a room and the professors have own rooms, okay?"

"Okay," everyone said.

"But before I let you go to sleep 'Mione, I think there's a punishment for lying to us," said Sirius.

Sirius drew nearer to Hermione on the couch, and started to tickle her, making her giggle uncontrolled. Without them noticing everyone else drew out of the room to their bedrooms. After a while of tickling, Sirius stopped, holding himself on top of her on the strength of his arms, panting. Hermione looked up to him, confused. Sirius did what felt good and lowered himself a little, pressing his lips on hers. He took her to his arms and they laid there, in each other's arms, kissing once in a while. In the morning when everyone else woke up, they were found there sleeping in a cuddle, making everyone smile.


End file.
